Take Your Time
by Lunaschild2016
Summary: Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents
1. Chapter 1

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 **A/N: This entire thing was literally written in a fever delirium and on strong cold meds. Apparently my smut levels rise when I am delirious.**

 **Achievement unlocked: Smut**

 **Level Advanced to: A Little Less Of A Rank Novice from Rank Novice**

 **Perk Gained: Only 75% Chance of head exploding when reading or writing smut.**

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _ **ERIC**_

Eric

Eric cradled the young woman closer as they huddled in the slight shelter the formation of boulders and the crag in the rocks provided from the blizzard raging around them. If he could mentally will warmth into her he would will it all, every single ounce he had. He would gladly give it all.

"We got the call in. Help will be coming soon." He murmured close to her face that he had pressed to his chest. "You just have to hang in there for me, Lacey. Do you hear me? You need to stay awake." He tried to command her but it came out broken and harsh in the tears that wanted to break free.

She groaned but didn't reply. Her lips were tinged with blue and he knew she was fading. He was losing her and it was all his fucking fault. "Baby please." He got out in a harsh whisper against her skin. It was too cold to cry. Or maybe he was and the tears were just freezing to join with the rest of the frozen spots on his skin.

He rocked a little as if moving her would help to stimulate her back awake but also shake off the grief and pain that was threatening to break him. All those years, all those millions of excuses he had piled on to keep from admitting his feelings; from crossing a line with her. They were all so much shit now that he knew how much he loved her. Had loved her for longer than he realized.

He came to that realization before the storm hit. Before he made the biggest mistake of his life and let her come with him to radio for help. He had just been so fucking relieved she was ok. That when the transport had lost control and flipped over twice, she had walked away with minor scratches.

She was all he could think about when it had been happening. Sending up prayers that she be ok, thankful that he had insisted she be strapped in. Even doing the damn straps up himself. She had given him lip, then insisted if she had to be belted in that he be too.

That was how the two of them were in the best condition to make the hike to get to higher ground and make the call. There had been too much interference where the transport had ended up. The canyons and small mountains of the Amity sector they were in didn't provide the best signal. He had known they would need to get higher.

He hadn't counted on the small snowfall that was predicted would turn into a goddamn blizzard. He also hadn't counted on being slowed down. He should have known that just because she looked fine didn't mean she was fine. Something was wrong. Something had happened that hit her about halfway up that caused her to all but pass out. It had been to late to turn back and the snow had already started. He could only press on, carrying her when she couldn't walk anymore and was crying out in pain. He had done his best to remain calm, get the call out and try and find them somewhere to hunker down.

"They got the call and have our position, baby. They will get here in time." They have too, he thought, or he might as well die on this fucking rock with her.

Why had he wasted so much time? Why had he fought so hard against what he knew they both felt?

So many fucking reasons that he thought were important at the time. She had been in his life from the time he transferred at sixteen. She was only nine. But she was family. The little sister of his best friend Henley and her now husband, Deacon, who was a fellow transfer and best friend from Erudite.

He had watched her grow up, protected her and loved her from afar as time went on and she became a young woman.

His age, the fact that she was family and considered him family; it had all seemed too much to overcome. Really he was just a fucking coward. He hadn't wanted to risk losing her even a little so he never tried for anything.

Eric cups the side of her face and strokes her cheek as he looks at her but is lost in memories. Like his life flashing before his eyes but it stars her. Always her.

All the way back to the beginning of them

Visiting day when she stood in the Pit with the hand of her younger brother clutched in hers. Her back straight and proud, chestnut hair pulled back in a ponytail. The strangeness of her eyes along with Wade's had first caught his attention. A warm melting caramel but ringed around the pupil was a light green. On the outside of the iris was a darker ring of green. Depending on her mood those greens would expand and spoke more to her feelings than she would let her words do. It was apparently a trait that skipped Henley but went to her to younger siblings from some grandparent on the dad's side.

The second thing he had noticed was the bruising along her cheekbone. He wasn't the only one to notice. Henley had tensed and gotten quiet. She had asked in a low hissing voice what had happened. Her tone suggested she knew though.

Henley never mentioned what exactly caused the tension at home for her. Deacon and Eric knew something was up and that her being in initiation worried her. She worried how her siblings were doing but she never fully said why. He didn't think it was abuse but it was something.

Lacey had looked her sister square in the eyes, chin lifted, and lied through her teeth. She told her she had gotten in a fight at school. Maybe he could have accepted it but for two things. Those eyes, the bright green had flared at the same time as she squeezed her brother's hand tightly. The little boy had looked to be about to speak but had quickly looked away.

When asked what the fight was about she had countered with a bit of truth and something that gave insight into their homelife. "The usual. Dad's a drunk...mom's a whore. Nothing new, Henley. Nothing I haven't grown thick skin against." She muttered.

"Then why did you fight about it?" He blurted out, eyes narrowed in anger at what he could guess really happened.

She locked eyes with him while he tried to glare the answer from her. She never gave in though and didn't answer. The little nine year old stood her ground against Eric, who was already gaining a reputation for his intimidation tactics and training wasn't even done yet. Henley had broken the tension in an embarrassed manner and said they should all go get cake.

Lacey and Wade were the exact same age as his youngest brother and sister. Maybe that was where the immediate protective feelings had come from. Why he had made that vow sitting across from them at the table in the dining hall; to always protect and care for them.

That was how it started. Then when their mom had gone missing things came to light. By that time he was a leader in training and nearing becoming a full leader. He was working non-stop it seemed and things had slipped his notice. Henley was just as busy in the clinic being trained as a nurse and those were in short supply. She had moved in with Deacon when housing was assigned so she didn't know what was going on either.

Not that Lacey let on anything more than the usual was happening. Eric knew their dad was absent most of the time and that the mom made occasional appearances. They were both well known drunks. Supported their habit with work but also by the mom having 'friends' that paid for the privilege of her company.

As disgusting as Eric found it, there was nothing illegal about what she was doing and as long as he did his job, there was nothing he could do to him either. It wasn't until he had noticed Lacey behaving oddly and looking sick that he knew something was wrong.

She would slink into the dining hall, keeping to the shadows or close to big groups, until she made it to the kitchen doors. There she would wait and someone would usually come out, look her over, disappear before coming back out with a small box. Then she would scamper off with the box before he could catch her or see what was in it.

At first it didn't really register. Dependents were well known for wheedling the famous Dauntless cake out of some the pushover cooks. Hell, Uriah Pedrad had managed to talk one of them to giving him an entire cake once. An entire sheet cake pan full of the shit.

Eric figured that was what Lacey was up to. Getting cake for her brother and her. It was always dinner time when she showed up, or that he saw, and it made sense. Wade was probably at home doing homework and she was getting them a treat. Henley said they had to find ways to motivate Wade to do his homework.

The second week he saw her slinking in he knew something was wrong and it wasn't her getting cake. She was looking gaunt as hell and getting worse.

He had had enough. Not wanting to go to her just yet he went to the kitchen staff first. His reputation was both a blessing and a curse. The ladies there were loyal, he would give them that. They hadn't wanted to tell him anything that might get Lacey in trouble.

It turned out that at least twice a day she was going to the kitchens to get food. Not unusual when most of the faction ate in the dining hall. Most of the adult working faction that is. It was impractical and a rarity that dependents ate in the dining hall.

The family living quarters were in another building and at least a fifteen minute walk. Families had meals at their quarters more often than not. There were full kitchens in those units and stores to stock up on food.

Eric couldn't clue Henley in. He knew she would feel responsible and guilty. She was already under so much pressure at work. It could be nothing and he could be wrong. Letting her know or asking her would only alarm and stress her. But if he was being honest with himself Eric needed to be the one to take care of it. So he investigated it himself. He had never wished he was wrong so much in his life.

They had nothing there. For two months they had nothing in that apartment and couldn't get anything either. The points that they might be able to use were gone before they could even blink. She had been getting food alright but it had never been enough to feed them both. So it went to Wade.

He put a stop to that shit right there. But Lacey was proud and independent. She wouldn't take charity. Even with the kitchen staff she had made an arrangement to be there every morning before 5am to help take out the trash and clean.

So he had made her a deal. She and Wade were to have dinner with him twice a week at his apartment. The premise was that he had promised Henley after she realized her work schedule wasn't going to slow down. Not wanting to worry or upset her sister, Lacey had agreed. Then in order to get her to agree to let him get her groceries, he had grudgingly agreed to let her come clean his apartment.

The result was that the two Matheson kids were more often than not at his apartment. They became a fixture in his life. Even when his investigation into the disappearance of their mother turned out the worst result it hadn't stopped that. In fact it only intensified things.

With their mother gone, the father arrested after admitting to killing her in a drunken rage over something he can't even remember; Henley got guardianship of her siblings. Deacon and she got married and they all moved in together to a new place. Dinners still happened over at Eric's place but he was also found over at their place for meals too.

It had made the pain of leaving his own family behind lessen some. With them he truly found a new family. It had made Dauntless feel like home and the right choice.

Things started to change as Lacey got older. He always knew he loved her but had always thought it was just as a little sister. Maybe because that was the only kind of love he had ever really felt, was for his family. How was he to supposed to be able to compare something he had never had before?

He noticed the difference about the time she was set to have her choosing. He had of course seen her maturing but it was like he put on blinders purposely. Refused to admit she was anything but still a little girl. She was still young, seven years younger than him. His body responding to her in ways that were completely inappropriate were shut down and shoved away. He lived in a state of constant denial then.

He had his first clue his feelings were more and couldn't be denied when he was watching her at the choosing ceremony. He had been calm and confident up until the moment she took the knife in her hands. Then he had been hit with a feeling of panic and dread that would have taken him to his knees had he not been sitting already.

What if she left? They had just that morning joked about it. She had even flippantly tossed out that maybe he shouldn't be so cocky. She could really be meant for somewhere else. He had smirked at her, not concerned one bit. Mainly because he knew her test results.

Dauntless. As expected.

But Lacey had the maddening ability to keep him on his toes in the most hair pulling of ways at times. So the worry and panic rushed over him. What if she did go somewhere else? What could he do? What would he do? He couldn't lose her.

And then he knew; in that moment and new kind of panic rushed over him as the realization set in what exactly he had been thinking. It was like unlocking Pandora's box. Now that the thought and realization was there it wouldn't go back in that damn box.

And it just got worse until that night almost a year ago and he hadn't been able to fight it anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 **A/N: This entire thing was literally written in a fever delirium and on strong cold meds. Apparently my smut levels rise when I am delirious.**

 **Achievement unlocked: Smut**

 **Level Advanced to: A Little Less Of A Rank Novice from Rank Novice**

 **Perk Gained: Only 75% Chance of head exploding when reading or writing smut.**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 _ **ERIC**_

Somewhere over the last few years someone had come up with the brilliant idea to reinstate some of the pre-war celebrations. Each faction took part. Sometimes it was inter-faction. Other times it was kept inside the faction.

Some brilliant leader had decided that Dauntless should take up the holiday of Halloween.

Costumes and all.

Eric had originally been against it. He was Senior Leader now but Max had passed the holiday as a parting gift to Eric just before he retired and there was no going back. Much to Max's annoyingly grinning amusement.

For three years he has had to put up with this damn headache. Like Dauntless really needed another reason to act like a bunch of asses or a night of drunken debauchery. This time everyone got to dress up in costumes.

 _Oh joy!_

The only good part of the holiday was that Candor and Amity decided to take it on as well. While they would all keep to their own faction for celebrations, thank fuck, Dauntless surprisingly became the producer and manufacturer of most the decorations or costumes in use. It became a surprising source of revenue for the faction.

The costumes for Amity and Candor were a bit less scandalous then what Dauntless, or the female portion, leaned towards. There was a variety of 'sexy' everything. The kids got into the action during the day but at night it was all the adults. No dependents allowed.

Eric was in no way about to dress up in a fucking costume. No one expected him to either. Wade had managed to talk him into going with him around the compound for the dependent portion. It was his last year before his choosing and he had been excited.

There were some games for the kids, rock wall climbing and other activities. It was finished off by the dining hall being flooded with dependents along with the normal crowd for dinner and treats.

He was in a foul mood but trying not to be. For the first year since this shit started Lacey had bailed on him in taking her brother around. She hadn't said it but Eric suspected she had a date. The thought had him drinking more than he should and his blood boiling. Wade had shrugged it off and said he would enjoy some 'guy' time. He had tried to put Lacey not being there out of his mind but it just wouldn't leave him alone.

He had been so sure he and Four had taken care of the last punk that had tried to move in on her. That had been two weeks ago when they had sat with him at the table during lunch. Four had suggested they try dropping a hint or two instead of the straight beating Eric wanted to dish out.

The only reason Four agreed to do that much was because he heard Aaron talking about how he was going to take on 'Goliath'. Aaron had a reputation for being a charmer. He wasn't a player exactly. Instead he went after the hard to get women. The ones that might not give him the time of day, were already involved, or in Lacey's case...a well known virgin. It was also known she was a bit of a social hermit, didn't go out and party much but preferred to stay home or with family.

Four was always going on about how Eric needed to back off and let Lacey make her own decisions about who to date. That she was twenty and could make her own mind up. So he had. He had listened to the asshole and that resulted in Aaron worming his way in. It had killed him, sure, but he knew he needed to let her go.

It could never happen between them no matter how much he could admit he wants it.

Despite knowing this he couldn't just let her be a conquest and neither could Four. So there they sat at lunch. Eric across from Aaron, his eyes cold and piercing. Four right beside the guy. After a few minutes of uncomfortable quiet while eating, Eric never letting up on his glare, Four starts things off.

"Isn't it about time to add fresh blood to the fence rotation?" Four asks offhandedly, as if it just occurred to him.

Eric couldn't the smirk that crossed his face. "Yep. Should be easy to fill in this year."

Four smirked a little too. "Oh yeah? So we have a few victims...errr...I mean volunteers?"

Eric shrugged. "There are a few. There are always those guys that find themselves on the fence after deciding it would be a good idea to go somewhere with someone they shouldn't. Guys that like to mess around with girls in ways that, should someone important to them find out, would think fence duty is getting off lightly."

He had started out in a casual tone but continued in a quiet menacing tone. Aaron got the point. Eric could tell by the subtle swallow and tense shifting. He had to give it to the punk that he didn't up and run away immediately. Aaron sat there for a few ticks before standing, and with a respectful nod walked away; leaving his still full tray on the table.

That had been that. He never heard about Aaron and Lacey again and hadn't seen them together either. So where the fuck was she at tonight?

He roams around the Pit. Making his rounds between people he knows until he makes his way into his favorite club and to the bar. There is a special brew for the night fresh from Amity and it has been a hit. A boozy spiced apple cider that is like a beer. Eric orders a glass of it, admitting that it is damn good.

He also knows that it is going to hit some people hard when they drink more than they should. It is too easy to not realize the brew has more of a punch than you think because of the taste. He knows he is going to have to go easy as well, especially given the buzzing in his blood.

Then he realizes that isn't all the alcohol. Lacey is near. She had that effect on him, just being nearby and his body came alive. It was like his blood became thick and heavy; pulsing with liquid fire and metal. Metal because like a magnet she pulled him towards her every time.

His eyes searched for her, at first not seeing her; at least not registering _what_ he was seeing.

She was standing just across the room from him by a high top bar table, a glass of something in her hand. If he didn't have the awareness he did of her and the instincts he did when it came to her, he wouldn't recognize her.

She was in costume, one of the almost obscenely skimpy ones. It was a crop top corset with a cap sleeved crop peasant shirt underneath and way too fucking short skirt combo. She had paired it with black thigh highs that had intricate lace bands at the top and same colored ankle high heeled boots.

She was goddamn mouthwatering. Her already long legs were showcased by the bare skin and sheer black hose.

It was all in the theme of little red riding hood, complete with a small deep red cape with a hood. All of it was this red color that just highlighted her perfect skin tone. She also furthered the costume by wearing a wig to cover her deep brown waterfall curl hair. Replacing it with some red color that he could admit complemented her creamy skin. He still preferred her own hair.

There was a mask covering her face, made of black lace in intricate swirl designs.

Lacey was apparently dead set against being recognized at all. Even going so far as being nowhere near or with her normal crowd of friends. In fact she was currently being chatted up by some punk Eric couldn't recognize in his own costume.

His fists clenched and he cracked his neck at the obvious flirting going on.

What the fuck is she doing? This isn't Lacey.

His eyes narrow as the punk gestures to her cup and says something. He must be asking if she wants a refill. She pauses for a moment, biting her lower lip in thought before she hands him the cup with a nod. Eric zeroes in on the punk as he walks to the bar with a smile. Watches him get two refills and then, because he is so laser focused on everything the guy is doing, barely catches the fast motion of him dropping something in one of the cups as he turns back to go to Lacey.

He sees red and acts quickly. A tap on the bar along with a pointed glare signals the bartender who recognizes it for what it means. Then Eric is flanked by the bartender as he makes his way over to Lacey before he waits a little ways away.

By the time Eric makes it over there she is barely lifting the cup to her mouth. He reaches out and snatches it from her hands with a snarled 'Beat it' to the guy.

He didn't expect any back talk and he didn't get any. The guy even gave a slight squeak as he backed up and into the waiting hands of the bar staff. After handing the glass off and taking a breath, Eric whips back towards Lacey.

"Do you always accept drinks from random men?" He growled out angrily.

Her eyes widen and he notices now that he is up close she also added colored contacts. They are a solid bright green.

Why is she going to such lengths to cloak herself?

"I...I don't normally do any of this." Her tone changed from the first gasped word. She changed the inflection to be deeper, husky...seductive.

It had his jaw clenching and his nostrils flaring. Being this close to her in that state is wreaking havoc on his body and control.

"Little tip for you then, Red; never accept open container drinks and never leave your drink unattended. Not from some random person." He moved closer as he spoke and smirked a little when Lacey unconsciously moved back. She had already been practically against the wall and now her back brushed up against it.

Her pull was too strong and he was too worked up to resist when his body crowded her in. An arm going to the side of her head, their bodies brushing against each other.

Lacey took a shallow breath after swallowing. "Mary." She said hesitantly, as if she didn't know if she should continue with her charade. "My name's Mary." She gave a small crooked smile and her tone was one he recognized as when she was being self-deprecating.

His eyebrows went up into his hairline. Surprised at the choice of alias but also that she thought there was any way he could ever not recognize her. He let his eyes move over her, not bothering to hide the appreciative way he took her in for once.

She was tall even without the heeled boots, but they put her at almost exactly the same height as him. Her lips were touched with the most wicked and tempting shade of red, making the natural pout and thickness even more pronounced. The swell of her breasts and the milky skin there were purposely pushed up by the corset top and left him salivating. She had gotten curves over the last few years to balance out the height she always had. Taunting and dick hardening curves she normally tried to mask. Not in this getup though. The bare midriff had the biggest identifier still visible.

In all her efforts Lacey had forgotten the distinctive birthmark on her right side of her abs. A rust brown colored scorpion with the tail and stinger curving to the left. It was a clear enough shape that there was no mistaking it for anything other than a wicked looking scorpion. Maybe she thought it would look just like a tattoo? Not many people had seen the thing or knew about it. He only glimpsed it a few times and knew about it from Henley. It was apparently another one of those genetic things passed on from her dad's side of the family. Seeing it now had him licking his lips with longing to kiss and lick his way over her entire body.

"Mary?" He finally said in amusement when he looked back into her eyes. She gave a small shrug and smile. "What are you doing here?" His eyes narrowed as he searched for the answers there, but she had walled that off when she put in the contacts.

Lacey licked her lips as her breathing picked up. Her chest heaved a little as she slowly reached out and put a long delicate looking hand on his arm. Right at the bulge of his bicep and where the skin was bare there.

The simple touch had the blood pounding in his ears and his nostrils to flare.

"It seemed like a good night to lose myself. Maybe become someone else. Someone that takes what she wants." Her answer was a breathy whisper.

It sent shivers through him but at the same time anger coursing through him. Was losing her innocence to some random shit head what she wanted?

"And what exactly is it that you want, Red?" He growled out as he used his other hand to grip her waist and jerk her against him.

She gasped and gripped him tighter. "Well, I'm Red Riding hood, right? I wanted to find my wolf." She replied after a few seconds pause, her voice dropped to that husky seductive one again.

"Just any wolf would do, huh?" His jaw was clenched as he asked it, anger still coursing through him.

For a moment, even through the contacts that concealed her normally expressive eyes, he saw sadness flash. "No, I was hoping to catch my big bad wolf." She replied in a tremulous whisper but her eyes held his meaningfully.

Eric's breath caught in his chest as he realized what her words meant. She did this, all of this, hoping to find him. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. All those looks over the years he dismissed as a crush she would grow out of, his imagination or him reading into it too much because of what he desperately wanted; they were all real.

But he needed to be sure.

"Did you find him?" He purred out as he ghosted his lips near her ear.

She shivered in his embrace and dug her nails into his arms. "I have. Unless he is all bark and no bite." She taunted playfully.

Eric pulled back with a smirk on his lips and desire in his eyes. There was still the small part holding him back. Part of him chose his next words to make things clear but also scare her off. If she backed down now, they could possibly pretend this night never happened and carry on as normal.

"Let's cut the shit, Red. I want you but I'm not some little boy that will be nice, sweet and gentle. Do you know what that means? The things I am going to do to you?"

Even as he got the words out he knew that even though they were true, he wanted to take them back. He didn't want to scare her off, he wanted this. One night they both wanted and needed. They could never have more but they could always have this.

"Tell me. What are you going to do to me?" She replied with no fear and no hesitation. Only a slight tremble in her voice with desire.

Eric paused to gather himself and moved the arm that rested on the wall by her head to cup the back of her neck possessively.

He leaned in so their bodies were pressed tightly together, letting her feel the clear evidence of his arousal. "I'm going to fuck you, baby. No, I'm not _just_ going to fuck you actually. I am going to make you come undone so many times you will remember nothing but my name as you scream it over and over. I am going to ruin you for anyone else so that you will lay awake at night remembering and craving me." He rasped, his forehead pressed against hers.

He felt the gasped breath and the trembling in her body. He pulled back to see if he had scared her off with the rawness of his words. He saw only desire in her eyes. She shifted and tried to clench her thighs together.

It filled him with relief and resolve.

With a smirk he lifted his chin towards her to indicate it was her turn to answer. "Do you want that?"

She gave a small nod. He shook his head, needing her to say the words.

"Say it. Tell me what _you_ want, baby." He commanded her.

She took a big breath and lifted her chin. "I want you, Eric. I want you to take me. To...to fuck me until I can't see straight, think straight. Until there is only you….nothing else."

He groaned and buried his head in the exposed crook of her neck, tasting the flesh there. She tasted of the scent she always left in her wake when she was near. Citrus and honeysuckle. He pulled himself away after eliciting whimpered moans from her.

He stepped back and took a breath. "Last chance to run home to grandma, Red. Are you sure?"

He knew that would have her back going straight and it did. She stepped forward her eyes narrowed and chin squared in determination. "I'm sure, Wolf." Then her eyes softened a little. "No regrets." She said as a whispered promise.

Eric nodded and took her hand. "No regrets" His reply was a internal hopeful prayer that he could keep.

He pulled her close to his side then without another word they made their way out of the bar together to his apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 **A/N: This entire thing was literally written in a fever delirium and on strong cold meds. Apparently my smut levels rise when I am delirious.**

 **Shoutout to DamnYouKylie - thanks for sticking with me during my fever delirium and silliness and then after when I came out of it and read the monster I created. I am still trying not to let my head explode at it.**

 **Achievement unlocked: Smut**

 **Level Advanced to: A Little Less Of A Rank Novice from Rank Novice**

 **Perk Gained: Only 75% Chance of head exploding when reading or writing smut.**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _ **Eric**_

Eric led her to his bedroom. Back in the bar it was a little easier to play into the role and desire. Here where they had spent so much time together before but never like they were about to, it made reality set in.

It should have made him pause or reconsider. He was too far gone in need for her to do any of that.

She walked to stand beside his king size bed while he closed the bedroom door behind them. She was looking around when he flicked the bedside table light on.

She has seen his bedroom a million times before tonight. Had insisted she clean it when she was still doing that to balance out when he was still buying food for them. Later on she had even slept in his bed. When Henley or Deacon had been working and Lacey along with Wade had come over for dinner or stayed late, he always gave her the bed while he and Wade would take the couches.

That seemed like a lifetime ago now. The day Lacey had her choosing and Eric realized his feelings and desire, that had changed. He even went so far as to get into a relationship, hoping it would stop the longing he felt he had no place feeling.

It hadn't worked even though he tried for almost a year. He had ended it when it became apparent he was apathetic to it at best. Ashley was just a filler for his bed to keep temptations of someone else being there out. The idea of her living with him had been a weak and horrible one. He hadn't tried anything with anyone else since.

Lacey stood still as a statue. Not moving an inch. He moved over to her and reached out to cup the side of her face. His eyes crinkled with worry.

"You can stop this at anytime. No judgments, pressure or anger."

She didn't verbally answer. Just gave a little shake of her head then reached out to unclasp the cloak that was secured at her throat, letting the red silk flutter to the ground.

She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "I have only one request, Eric. You can do whatever you want to me in any way you want to. But the mask stays on and this will only be a one night thing, no questions asked."

At first Eric couldn't reply. Logically he knew that was the only way this was going to work. To keep the appearance he didn't know who she is, so that in the morning they can go back to how things have always been. He hated it though and was seconds from saying fuck it, then telling her he wanted her to take all the ridiculous shit off. But that would end things right here.

He had been quiet for so long and his jaw clenched so hard, he could tell she was thinking about walking away altogether. So he let out a slow breath and nodded.

"Ok, Red. I can take that deal. We will just make the most of our time then. And trust me baby, I plan to take full advantage of your offer." Eric growled out.

She let out a relieved breath and smiled shyly. He could tell she was searching her mind for what to do or say next so he took over.

Eric pulled her to him by her waist then ran a hand up her side until he barely skimmed over the edge of her breast. He continued on as her eyes fluttered close and her mouth parted slightly. His fingers lightly skimmed along the exposed flesh of her neckline then gently up the side of her neck. When he reached where her skull meets the sloping neck he gripped her and tugged her forward.

He gave no warning as he crashed his mouth to hers, swallowing the surprised moan she started to let loose. His moan joined hers from the second her lips touched his.

She tasted of the spiced apples from the brew they had both been drinking. She also had a deeper more intoxicating taste that Eric knew no one could or would ever live up to now. He slid his tongue along her lips, testing and teasing them open. She willingly accepted him in and moved her tongue against his. For minutes he stayed like that. Just kissing her slowly and savoring their first kiss.

Then the passion started to rage while her hands moved over his chest, pushing his vest away and trying to get his shirt off too. He growled and grabbed her hands, taking them behind her back and holding them there tightly. His kiss changed and he began to claim it like he was about to claim the rest of her body. Deeply and devouring her hungrily.

Lacey was writhing in his grasp as she tried to get closer to him. Rubbing her chest against his in a wanton fashion. He could feel the hard nubs of her nipples through all the fabric separating them. All while her moans and whimpers were nothing but sweet innocence.

His cock was straining so hard against the fabric of his jeans he thought the material might pop free. He needed more but wasn't ready to get to the main part just yet. He hadn't been lying about making the most of the time they had together.

He broke away from the kiss, slightly dazed and almost drunk on her and desire. He was the first to be able to open his eyes and saw hers still fluttering. Like she was having trouble just getting her body to respond to the simplest of commands.

It filled him with pride that he could elicit that from her. Her body responded to his every touch as he teased her with his lips along her neck and the tops of the swells of her breasts. He lost control though when the tops of her fleshy mounds came against his tongue. With a growl he let go of the hands he still had gripped behind her back and reached forward to cup her through the fabric a little more roughly than he should have.

Her head dropped back and she let out a throaty moan though.

Eric hummed with approval as he kneaded them. "Fuck, I need you undressed now." He said more to himself than meaning to speak out loud.

He didn't really talk during sex. Other than to say things like 'Yeah, suck it' or 'take it.' He usually did most of the talking in his head. Mainly because over the last four years the real shit occurred there. All staring Lace and his fantasies of her. The last two years he hadn't even tried to be with someone physically for those fantasies. He just handled it all on his own. Sometimes several times in a row or a day. It still was never enough and it made him wonder if that was how tonight was going to be. Something told him it would and that when the morning came it would just make not having her even worse.

Instead of contemplating that thought any more and what this might do to them both after, he went to getting her out of her clothes. He dropped down to a crouch as he let his hands run down her body. Kissing the exposed areas on the way down.

He let his hands run over her the backs of her legs until he got to her ankles. With gentle positioning and directing he was able to work her boots off. He also couldn't resist rolling those black thigh highs off her while kissing, licking and sucking along the way.

He knew the first thing he was going to do when he finally got her undressed. It had been one of his favorite fantasies and was something he wanted the memory of for after they parted.

Her body was trembling and he was avoiding the areas he knew she was craving he touch the most. He chuckled when she mewled after he once against teased by kissing along the inner thighs before he stood up again.

"Patience baby. Your body is mine to do whatever I want with it, remember?" He cooed to her as he reached down to undo the zipper of the skirt.

"Eric." She whispered out in a plea but he ignored it and continued on. He wouldn't be rushed, not with her on this.

The thought that this had a time limit...a finality to it...was already starting to make his heart ache and they hadn't even started yet.

"Mine" He rumbled lowly as he shoved her skirt down before jerking her closer to him. His eyes blazing with the absolute need for her to understand and know that he meant it. "Understand?"

Her gasp tried to mask the small sob she had, her eyes glazed but he saw the start of her tears that she blinked back quickly. She nodded with her eyes closed. "Yes Eric."

"Yes Eric what?" He demanded of her, his nails digging into the flesh just at the edge of her panties he hadn't bothered to look at just yet.

"Yes Eric, I am yours." She husked out with her chest heaving.

"Good girl." He replied just before he crushed his mouth to hers while moving his hands to the back and expertly flicking apart the little clasps that held her corset together. He didn't break the kiss as he moved the top away from her body and let it drop. He kept mouth fucking her as he moved his hands to search for a bra that wasn't there. With a groan he pulled away and finally moved to step back and take her all in.

He started with her legs, one of his favorite features, and worked his way up. His guttural groan turned to a straight out growl when he finally got to her breasts.

"Are you fucking kidding me with that shit, Red?" He hungrily growled out in surprise.

It was all at once a cock hardening surprise but also almost enraging one. Seeing a side to herself she kept hidden was amazing. Knowing to get what she had done meant someone else touching her had him plotting to kill the bastard he knew was the only one able to do it.

Lacey had pierced nipples. Her perfect just over a handful of round, pert breasts with the pink pearl sized nipples; had perfect little barbell piercings running through them.

She blushed such a beautiful shade of red, all the way down to the start of her red thong underwear but smiled coyly as well. She bit her lip and let her hands skim up to cup her breasts and then with just a small hesitation she moved to tweak her nipples. "Do you like?"

He tone was brazen and uncertain all at once. He would be blind to not have noticed how innocent it showed she really is. If he didn't already know that is.

Eric shook his head, his eyes wide with desire pouring out and his body visibly vibrating. "Oh, little red. I don't just like…" He stepped forward and moved her hands out of the way while he kept her eyes locked with his. He took over what she was doing but was much more experienced in the way he tweaked them. "I fucking _love_."

And not just the piercings. Maybe that came through for her. Maybe she was already so far on the precipice. Because with that small gesture she gave out a gasp, threw her head back and keened out an orgasm. Her body shaking and trembling so much she clutched to him just as he reached for her to hold her up.

He watched her face in wonder as he saw for the first time her coming undone for him. It was like watching the beauty of a storm. Violent but awe inspiring. Then came her smile that was like the rainbow at the end of it all.

She opened her eyes and looked back to him. Her bottom lip sucked in between her teeth as she looked at him shyly.

Eric smiled wickedly at her thinking that this was just the start but also to mask the emotions he was sure he was showing. "That is just the beginning, baby." He whispered seductively.

She shivered and moaned a little. He walked them backwards until her ass hit the back of the bed. "I want you to take that thong off for me, nice and slow." He commanded her and stepped back a few paces.

She didn't hesitate to follow his order and started to roll the thong down. She even looked at him with a glint in her eyes before turning and presenting her ass to him while rolling it past her almost bubble like butt. It was perfectly formed and toned but was still just made to be a good handful.

"Fuck yeah baby." He groaned out. "You wanna be a dirty girl for me? Spread your legs and bend over as you take them off the rest of the way."

Eric knew he was being a filthy motherfucker with her. Part of him was shouting at him that he needed to be sweeter. But like he said in the bar, that just wasn't him. Especially with her in this respect. She unlocked something deep and primal within him. Something that needed him to protect, claim and possess her in all of the ways possible. Even the most base ones.

She turned pink as she looked over her shoulder at him but she did as he asked. Even going so far as to wiggle her ass a little bit. "Like that, Eric?" She asked as she had stepped out of the thong but kept bent over and grabbing her ankles.

Her question was just that. An innocent question, sincerely wanting to know if she was doing the right thing.

"Oh yeah, baby." Eric drawled silkily out as he eyed her hungrily. "Stay just like that." He changed his tone to a command as he kicked off his shoes then began to strip.

The position was perfect for so many things but he still had the plan in mind. So he squeezed his dick to relieve some of the pressure that was building up. He wanted so badly to go run his hands over the globes of her ass and his fingers through the wetness he saw building up there. But he couldn't just yet or the little control he had would snap.

"Turn around and sit on the bed, baby." He demanded of her in a pure gravel voice. Roughened by the raging lust in him.

She turned to comply and as she sat she got her first glimpse of him. He was stark naked with his cock in his hand. It was already fairly large but seemed to have swelled angrily when it was awakened tonight. Like it sensed the target and object of Eric's only desire was finally in range. It was twitching without even any effort from him. Letting Eric know it wanted to be in charge and what it wanted.

The fucker could wait though. Eric planned on loading up on all kinds of sensory and images for the cold nights alone he knew were ahead of him.

Her breathing was ragged and eyes wide while she licked her lips. Her eyes glued to the motions of his hand as he ran his thumb over the tip to spread the weeping already occurring. He gave her a bit of a show as he pumped himself slowly a few times and chuckled when she groaned a little. It came out soft and whimpered.

"Do you like what you see?" Eric asked with a cocked eyebrow and a cocky tone.

Lacey was so hypnotized she didn't even look away as she nodded numbly. "Yes." She whispered out finally.

"Good. Because we are going to put on a little show for each other. I want you to touch yourself, baby. I want to watch as you pet and stroke yourself until you come for me."

Now her eyes did move from his hand working himself over up to his eyes. She had a slight frown and confusion in her eyes. "Touch myself?"

He knew she was innocent and there was no way of getting around that he knew it. Not like her being a virgin was something that could be ignored. So better to get this out of the way now.

"I know you aren't experienced but you have touched yourself before, right?" He asked, pausing his ministrations to himself.

Lacey blushed and sucked her lower lip in before she blew out a slight huff and nodded. "Yeah, I have done plenty of that." She muttered in a loaded tone.

He wondered if that was because of him. If she touched herself as much as he did, with him on her mind like she was always on his.

"Are you thinking about someone when you touch yourself?" He asked before he could stop himself.

She turned even more red as she stilled and looked him in the eyes. He could tell she was debating answering at all. Finally she let out a slow breath. "Yes."

He was about to demand who but he couldn't go there. The thought of there being anyone else on her mind put the next words in his mouth. "Well, you are going to touch yourself for me, show yourself to me and from now on you will _only_ think of _me_ when you touch yourself." He demanded roughly.

Her eyes flared with something, desire and amusement but her words were purred out. "Only you, Eric." She agreed.

Like a goddamn peacock preening and he was some fifteen year old boy; his chest puffed out and he smiled at her smugly. "Spread your legs and show me what's mine, Red."

She complied but slowly. Running her hands over her legs starting from her knees up to the apex of her thighs. She wasn't bare like most women are and he loved it. He loved that she had a neatly trimmed patch of hair just over her slit. It let him know she was a woman. That along with the glistening slickness that he saw when she ever so slowly and shyly ran a finger through her folds.

His hand moved back to his cock and slowly moved along it, the tip weeping even more.

"That's all for me, isn't it?" Eric growls out but already knows the answer. Like he would accept any other reply than 'yes, all for you.'

Which is exactly what she gives him with a moan. "Show me what you do to yourself when you think of me."

And she does. Lacey loses herself in her past fantasies while taking in the sight of him putting on a show for her. They alternate between going slow and frantic in their motions. Neither wanting to really have it come to an end. Maybe she has the same goal in mind that he had when he started this. Something to take away and use in the time to come when all they have is what pleasure they can give themselves.

When they can't hold out from their climaxes any longer she locks eyes with him. Her body is already gathering a slicking of sweat and trembling from the effort of holding it in. "Eric please." She begs him in a pained whimper and it fuels his lust even more.

The sound of her begging him does it. "Come now." He barks out harshly.

She responds instantly and with a few taps of her finger on her dime sized engorged clit, she completely unravels him. Her mouth drops into a perfect 'o' just before she tosses her head back and cries out. "Of fuck, Eric!"

"That's right...come for me baby." Eric husks out and watches her raptly. This one even more beautiful to him and even more violent. She practically gushed for him.

He holds off his own until he knows she is looking back at him. Her eyes hooded but a still hungry gleam in them. "Come for me, Eric." She purrs out breathlessly after she licks her lips.

Eric needs no other invitation as he throws his head back and roars out the release so long denied. He doesn't even care about the mess he is sending to the floor as he does so.

Her moan makes him come even harder and longer. His body hunched over and gritting his teeth as he convulses with the force of his release.

"Holy shit." He gets out finally in a pant when he finishes. He gives a huffed chuckle and looks back to her. "That was fuckin hot."

It exceeded anything he could have ever imagined himself. Lacey followed every single one of his commands as if she had been doing just that for years. She opened herself completely to him showing vulnerability and sensuality in ways he never knew existed. She had even given him a few commands of her own or asked him if he would like her to do certain things. Like taking her nipple in her own mouth. Her breasts were just big enough that she could do that.

Even with all of that she smiled at him with the shyness and blush. "Yeah it was." She agreed then looked at the mess he had made. She laughed a little. "Oops. Kind of made a big mess there."

Eric shrugged and smirked at her. "I don't fucking care, baby. In fact I am sure we are going to make an even bigger mess of each other real soon."

Her eyes flashed confusion and he chuckled deeply. "Oh you'll see and I am going to love showing you."

She bit her lip and nodded. "I ummm….Eric...I brought something." She said and pointed to the floor where her corset top lay in a careless heap. Beside it was a foil wrapped item.

Eric looked down to it then bent to scoop it. He held it up and smiled widely. "Well you came sort of prepared. It's sweet that you think this would be enough though."

Her eyes widened and she tilted her head. "It isn't."

Eric scoffed and shook his head. "Fuck no. One is bullshit for little boys. Don't worry, I got us covered."

He didn't know if it was something he said but a shadow crossed over her eyes at his words. "Yeah, I guess you would." There was a tint of insecurity there but also jealousy which she tried to shake away.

Eric moved over to her and stood at the edge of the bed. It was a king size bed that was raised slightly higher than normal. He took her chin in his hand and lifted her head to look at him. "What did you mean by that, baby?"

She tried to shrug off the question. "Just that you are more experienced, right?"

Eric took a breath and nodded. "I'm not going to lie and say that I haven't had a few women in my time. Would you understand what I mean when I say that I am not one of those guys that is in it for the quantity? That saying quality over quantity."

She gives a small sigh and nods. "Yeah, I get it."

Eric shakes his head looking at her seriously. "No baby, I don't think you do. If you did then you would know that real quality doesn't come from being with just anyone. And I don't go around just fucking anyone." He paused and debated revealing the next part. He wanted her to know that while he might not be the most romantic or sweet of men...this and them, her first time...was special. "In fact I haven't been with anyone in almost two years."

He says in a slight rush. She gives a slight start and her eyes narrow, searching his for the truth. She must see the absolute honesty in his intense blue stare because her eyes soften and she leans into the hand that moved to cup the side of her face. Her eyes flutter closed with a sigh.

Lacey opened her eyes and reached out to bring her hands to gently rest against his chest. He let his hand fall as he also let her start her exploring. He closed his eyes at the sensation of her hands on him finally.

He had imagined this for so long. Her hands always one of his focuses of his erotic thoughts. They were long to match her height but delicate in shape. Slender fingers and a small wrist that made him think one squeeze and he could snap it. He also knew that it was deceptive in how delicate they looked. He knew she trained in fighting and had strength in even her fingers to be able to keep up with the levels he demanded.

She was an assistant to the leaders but because he always seemed to be able to work it out, she was almost always working with him. He even had a desk put in his office just so he could keep her close. He spent hours looking at her across the room, her hands flying across the keyboard, and imagining them moving over him in just the way they began to now.

When she started to explore lower, his semi-hard dick flared to full staff and groaned as he grabbed her hands. "Not yet but we will get there."

Her eyes flashed with impatience and he knew she was seconds from giving him the lip that Lacey was famous for. It was pretty much a given that she was the only one he tolerated it from. She must have realized what she was about to do and what it would give away, because she bit her bottom lip to stop herself.

He smirked at that and reached out to stroke her cheek with a finger. "Good girl." He teased her in a husky purr. "Now, let's see how good my girl can be and get up on the bed. Right in the middle and lay back."

Once again she followed his commands with no resistance. She was even eager about it. She lay back against his black bedding, making her skin glow even more. She was still wearing the wig and mask and once again he wished he could just rip it all away.

Rip all the fucking walls and barriers they had between them.

If only it were that simple.

He reached into the bedside table and took out a handful of condoms, a small bottle of lube and then moved to his dresser where he reached in and grabbed two of his black belts. Her eyes got wide and there was a tiny bit of fear in them. He set everything up and then crawled on the bed next to her. He laid out beside her and placed a hand on her stomach.

"Do you trust me?" He asked seriously and softly.

"Yes." She said without hesitation and with such certainty that it flooded his heart with the love he already felt. "I just….I'm not sure what to do…" She trailed off and the insecurity was back in her voice.

"Just follow my lead but anything you feel uncomfortable with or don't want to do, you tell me. Tell me to stop or no and I will listen. There is no pleasure in this for me if you aren't enjoying it. Do you understand?"

"Ok." She said in a small voice.

"I'm sorry, what?" Eric didn't quite bark it out. It was exactly something he would say as the leader he is and someone didn't do or say something exactly as he wanted. With her it was more of a purred command for her to try again.

"Yes Eric, I understand." She said with lowered lashes and her tone more confident.

It was the confidence he had really been looking for. He didn't want her to be afraid or insecure. He also wouldn't lie and say her compliance and submission didn't turn him on to no fucking end.

He seriously worried and wondered at times, with her and especially now, if a penis was capable of just exploding from over inflating and getting so hard. Not something he wanted to test out but it seemed like he might be headed there.

"I want you to put your hands above your head and clasp them together." He gave the soft command as he trailed his fingers lazily around her breasts, working around the outside. Her back arched up and her legs pressed together. She moaned and gripped the sheets.

Her breasts were a big erogenous zone for her apparently. When she didn't comply with him he stopped what he was doing and withdrew his hands completely.

She whined and turned her head to look at him where he was patiently waiting for her to look. His eyebrow was raised in anticipation of her question. It clearly answered it for her. Working together and knowing each other for so long she could tell what he was going to ask or what he needed before he even said something. It only took a look from him.

She picked up on that now and smiled sheepishly as she moved her hands to the place he had ordered her to. He smiled at her in pleasure at her following his command and she flushed in pleasure. There were feeding off each other completely.

His pleasure was hers and hers was his.

Eric reached over to grab the belts and gave her a patient reassuring look as his tone took on the one he has always had when giving her instructions. "I am going to secure your hands to the headboard. If this makes it too uncomfortable for you, tell me right away."

He already knew she didn't have a fear of being restrained but this would still be something new for her.

"Yes Eric." She responded automatically even when her voice trembled a little.

First he looped one belt around her hands and secured them. Then he looped a belt through a slat on his headboard on one end and the other to her secured hands. It wasn't to tight or restrictive but accomplished what he wanted. "Are you ok?" He asked softly as he was kneeling beside her and looking down.

She paused as she tested the bonds and her reaction to them. Her nipples were hard and her skin was covered in goosebumps but she nodded. "I'm good."

Eric never imagined it would be so maddening to not be able to say a woman's name during sex. It was usually the opposite for him. A relief when he could get away with saying doll or darling or better yet, not a fucking thing at all.

It was driving him crazy not to be able to say her name and there was no way he was saying the fake one she gave him. It felt like a betrayal and he wouldn't do that. He kissed along her body, paying attention to her nipples and those piercings. His tugs and teeth grazing had her screaming out a release once again without any other stimulation.

Satisfied, he moved lower. Lazily kissing along her stomach and with a wicked smile he placed marks in areas he knew she could hide. But she would have them for at least a week from now and the thought made him feel better.

Eric moved lower still until he was kneeling between her legs with her spread before him. He could have dived right in with how tempting and wet she looked. The nub of her swollen clit was peeking out and he knew that her next climax wouldn't take much from him. That made it even sweeter when he went nowhere near that area at first. To hear her moans and whimpers was part of the enjoyment. He could hear the frustration and building of her edge even more.

He could smell her arousal and it was a heady smell. It built for him to...his own arousal. He was leaving spots and trails of pre-cum as it dripped from his tip regularly.

He started out by taking one leg and lifting it until her ankle was raised level with his mouth. He nuzzled and kissed along from that starting point. When he got to mid thigh he left a souvenir of his having been there, leaving her gasping, before he moved on.

"Goddammit." She growled out and bucked her hips, causing him to chuckle and clucked his tongue at her.

"That isn't how my good girl should behave. You want your reward, then you need to do as you're told." His tone was all playful reprimanding.

She lifted her head and glared at him. He knew that under those contacts he loathed, her eyes were a brighter caramel and the greens on the outer and inner rings were inching wider. He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow in challenge.

Lacey flopped back onto the bed and dropped her head with a huff. She took two shuddering breaths before she responded. "Yes Eric."

He grinned widely and felt her rolling her eyes at him without even needing to see it. It made him enjoy the next round of torture even more.

There is a difference between subservience and submission to Eric. He would never be attracted to or want someone that was some meek subservient woman. But Lacey was strong while still being soft. She was independent but was willing to accept help from those she loved and respected. She was fierce without being overly hard. She was intelligent without being a know-it-all and she had never hesitated to go to Eric for help or with a question because she trusted him.

That was the key and probably the biggest part of the foundation of his love for her. So when she submitted to him it was her willingly placing herself in his hands. Knowing he would never break that trust. He wasn't into causing pain and never would be.

Well, not _much_ pain and never with her.

For damn sure he would never want to cause her pain.

So the play he submitted her to was all about simple submission and a little bit of building anticipation for the final act.

When he felt he had teased her enough he moved to both their prizes. This was his reward just as much as it was hers. He forced himself to not dive in. She was so wound up and sensitive that it would take just one touch.

He softly parted her folds as he settled himself on the bed. His erection was pressing into the mattress beneath him. The pressure gave him some relief and would hopefully keep him from shooting his load off like a kid.

"Oh yes, please Eric." Lacey sighed in bliss just from feeling him poised at her center finally.

"You are doing so good for me baby." He cooed softly as he blew on her gently. "So fucking perfect." He rumbled out when she trembled for him.

"Please….can I come...please...Eric." She begged softly.

Eric smiled against her skin as he nuzzled her just briefly with his nose, inhaling her sweet scent and memorizing it. "Yes baby." He replied just as he lowered his mouth and placed a firm kiss over her clit.

Just like he knew would happen, she shattered with a single touch to the bundle of nerves. But Eric wasn't done at all and while she was still in her orgasm he began to work her towards another. Then another. Then another.

Each one he probed and added a different technique.

He was trying to help ease her first time while wringing every ounce of pleasure he could from her. Who knows how long he stayed there between her legs, his paradise. By the time he came up for air the bed underneath them was almost drenched from when he discovered that his girl could gush if he touched her in just the right way. Her body was slicked with sweat and flushed all over.

Eric moved up to the head of the bed and carefully undid the bindings. He took her in his arms and rubbed her wrists checking them over. All while kissing her deeply.

"Do you like the taste of yourself on my lips, baby?" He asked after she had moaned and licked around his lips before sucking his bottom lip into her mouth.

"Yes." She whispered against his lips bashfully.

"Never be embarrassed about any of what we do." He took her chin between his thumb and finger as he ordered her.

"I'm not, not really, Eric." She replied honestly and with a shrug.

With a nod he grinned at her. "Good girl. Now you are going to get me ready for the next part. Reach over to the table and grab a condom and the bottle."

Lacey swallowed but did as she was told. She put the bottle down as Eric laid flat so that she could get the protection rolled on. Eric was thankful that schools had always at least taught this part of safe sex.

He honestly wanted to skip putting one on altogether. The thought occurred to him and he figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. "Are you on anything?"

She didn't respond at first, not until she got it rolled on completely. Then she looked at him and clasped her hands in her lap. She shook her head. "I...didn't have a need for it. Eric, I'm not just inexperienced; I'm a virgin." She took a breath. "If you don't want to…"

Eric frowned and grabbed her...rolling her so that she was in position under him as he leaned down to claim her mouth. He pulled back and looked at her fiercely. "Mine." Was all he growled out in reply at first. He took a breath and reigned himself back. "I only asked because...fuck if I don't want to be inside you raw, baby. You have no clue how much I need to be inside you and feel nothing between us."

Lacey lets out a relieved breath and nods as she links her arms around his neck. "Me too."

Eric brushes his nose against hers and takes a steadying breath as he closes his eyes.

Ruining her for other men and ruining her life are completely different things. He knows himself too well and knows that if he went without protection he would be hard pressed to stop himself from releasing inside of her. Just the thought calls to every cell in his body. A primal call that has him gritting his teeth.

He needs it too fucking bad. To take her deeply and hard until he sends his seed into her. Marking her forever as his. Making her swell with his child. A perfect blend of them. The thought that it will never happen but how badly he wants it has his head dropping to her shoulder and him clenching his eyes shut tight.

Lacey must sense his distress because she starts to run her hands through his hair and over his shoulders. She doesn't speak and neither does he, not for a minute. When he has himself under control he leans back after kissing her shoulder. He reaches for the lube and takes her hand. "Sit up, baby."

He instructs her as he squirts some in her hand. She sits up with a question in her eyes. "You are already wet but this will help even more. It is going to hurt but the more lubrication we have, it might lessen the initial pain."

She nods in understanding then reaches out tentatively at first for his hardened cock. Even with the rubber on her hands wrapping around him has him groaning. He lets her explore and squeeze him a few times as she spreads the liquid along his shaft before he stops her with a huff.

He can already tell that this first time is going to be ridiculously quick.

At least by his standards.

Eric wastes no time in pushing her back while he takes her mouth in a kiss. He positions himself at her entrance but adds to the lubrication by stroking him along her folds. They both moan at the contact as the heat from her pussy adds to the heat from his cock.

They are an inferno. Long lazy slides of himself as he moved his hips against her while kissing her slowly. He would take his time where he could because he knew once he was inside of her those primal urges would take him over.

She moved against and with him in perfect sync. Rolling her hips already and in a way that let him know she was ready. There would be no slow inching in here and with one slow, smooth thrust, he slid inside of her.

His heart clenched along with her strangled gasp of pain when he breached her barrier. He stilled then but reached between them to rub and roll her clit with one hand. "Play with your nipples, baby. I am going to make you come for me before I take you more." He commanded her hoarsely.

She was so goddamn tight that it was actually causing him pain too. Of course it was nowhere near the pain and discomfort she was having at being ripped open and invaded by something so large. Even having been prepared before now by his fingers.

She did as he asked and worked her nipples. They held each other's eyes as she cooed her pleasure to him and bit her lip as she neared another release. Her body arching and moving against him while he kept still inside of her, buried to the hilt.

Eric hummed in pleasure when he felt the walls of her closing around him in a controlled rhythm, letting him know that was all her doing. "Fuck baby, keep doing it just like that." He rumbled out. "Going to come for me beautiful?"

"Uhh huh.." She gasped out as he tapped her clit a few times and she pulled on her nipples.

"You know better than that, Red. Answer me properly." He gave a little spank to her mound along with the reprimand.

"Oh shit." She gasped and the first spasm started. "Yes Eric." She screamed.

Eric grinned a little strained. "Good girl. Now fucking come for me."

"Oh god...oh god." She whimpered as she neared the edge.

"Wrong name." He growled but kept with his attentions.

"Eric!" She screamed out as her body spasmed around him, clenching him even tighter.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." He said with gritted teeth and gripped the base of his cock to keep from blowing his load already.

Once her body stopped strangling him he began to move. His strokes were softer at first, still letting her adjust.

"More" She whimpered and bucked against him.

It was all he needed and he began to snap his hips against hers. He pushed one of her legs out further so he could deepen his angle. With the arm not supporting his weight he reached under to pull her closer to him.

"Do you like that, baby? Do you like me fucking you deep like this?" Eric asked after he nuzzled her neck and took her earlobe in his mouth and grazed it with his teeth.

"Oh yes, Eric. Please don't stop. Please take me." She begged as her nails dug in his back. One leg had wrapped around his waist and the heel was digging into his ass trying to get more of him in.

"You feel so goddamn good. Never get enough."

They both lost the ability to use words after that. The only sounds were that of moans, the slap of skin against skin and guttural growls that Eric let loose. He got harder in his taking of her but he felt her holding herself back from the climax he needed before he would let himself go.

"Don't you hold back on me. That is _my_ fucking pleasure and you _will_ give it to me." He commanded her as he slammed against her. Knowing his hips would graze against her clit with the angle he was using.

Lacey screamed and bit his shoulder hard. Causing him to grunt while she exploded around him. He hit that special spot on her and it caused her to gush around him.

"Fuck yes baby. Give it all to me." He barked and let her release pull his own from him finally. He gave three more powerful thrusts before he bottomed out in her and roared his release. He clutched her tight while she did the same to him.

Their bodies were covered in sweet sweat and the air was heavy with the scent sex, honeysuckle and citrus.

He collapsed on the bed beside her after pulling out carefully and removing the condom. He quickly dropped into a wastebasket beside the bed and pulled her to him.

She was panting still with that smile she always had just after a release. He realized he had one to match hers.

"That was...that was amazing." She said with a light laugh.

Eric smirked lazily. "Hell yeah it was. You were amazing."

She blushed and smiled even more. "Thank you. You weren't so bad yourself." She teased.

Eric quirked an eyebrow at her, causing her to laugh even more. "Ok, you were beyond amazing. Does that soothe your ego?"

"Nope. I think I am going to need a lot more soothing than that." Eric teased back with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Lacey rolled her eyes with the smile still in place. Then she looked at him with that look he was coming to realize was her being sexually brazen. She ran her fingers along the hairs on his chest. "And just what can I do to soothe you?"

Eric pretended to think but he already knew. "Hmm...well you can get your delicious ass up in the air for me. I think tasting you while you are all on fours would be a good starting point."

He loved that she didn't hesitate when he gave her directions. She might look at him shyly or blush, but she also showed her arousal and willingness. She moved into position and Eric moved off the bed. "Stay just like that."

He went to the bathroom and got a washcloth, wetting it with warm water, before he moved back to the bed and her.

She looked over her shoulder at him but smiled softly at him when he carefully went to clean her. He made soothing motions over her tender places and along her thighs with the soft cloth. Once he was finished he tossed it to the floor.

Now that he was able to he let his hands run over her ass, hips and finally over her folds before he let his mouth follow once again.

"Fuck, do you know how beautiful you are? How addicting you are?" He asked after he had wrung another orgasm from her.

Lacey had her head laying on the bed and was gripping the sheets tightly. "I don't know how much more I can take, Eric. I don't think I have anymore to give you."

He pulled back and looked at her while he took his hand and landed on swatt to one side of her ass. She snapped up in shock and screeched. There was no pain, he wouldn't do that. But there was surprise and a bit of a sting.

"What did you say?" He demanded with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know if I can, Eric." She whispered shakily.

"You can and will, Red. You're mine until I say otherwise." Eric's tone softened as he ran his hand soothingly over her ass cheek. He placed a kiss to it causing her eyes to widen and he smiled against her skin.

It was tempting to go there. To take that most intimate and taboo of places. But as base as he was and as much as he wanted to have every part of her, he couldn't do that to her.

So he placed a kiss to the other one before he moved over to the bedside table and grabbed another condom. He rolled it on, lubed up then laid down on his back.

"This time you ride me, beautiful." He said as he guided her to the right position.

Her eyes were wide and eager.

The rest of their time proceeded in that way. He held off from another release until he had taken her in at least two more positions. He was dead set on fulfilling as many fantasies as he could with her.

They were both covered in sweat, the sheets were drenched and rumpled, her body was nearing the end of what he could bring out in her. They were laying on their side while he moved in her, gripping her face to turn towards him so he could see her when she came undone for him for the final time.

There was a sadness building in them both. He could see it. He could feel it stinging behind his eyes as his motions were frantic and desperate. She gripped his arm tightly as she bit her lip.

"Eric.." She pleaded with him.

"Not yet." He gasped out the denial. "Not fucking yet, baby. Can't end…." He trailed off gruffly.

But he knew it had to. He was right there and so was she. "Together please." She asked with everything she felt in her voice and eyes.

Eric closed his eyes and nodded. "Together baby." He rasped out as he pulled her to him for a kiss.

And they exploded. Their cries into each others mouths combined with the rushing of blood in his ears. Stars exploded behind his eyes. His heart felt like it might do the same in joy, love and pain.

He knew that in that moment, he had lied. He said no regrets but he would always regret one thing. That he wasn't brave enough to not let her walk out that door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 _ **Eric**_

Eric was mumbling as he rocked Lacey in his arms. The cold was starting to get to him now too. Through the winter gear he felt it penetrating to his bones. His face felt frozen and his lips were stiff. He shook his head and the sleep that was trying to pull him under. Promising if he just closed his eyes he would be warmer.

He couldn't do it and he needed to get Lacey out from under it too. He reached up and started stroking her face, even patting it. "Lacey. Wake up now goddammit." He croaked out the order.

He repeated the order twice more with his taps firmer each time. Her eyes fluttered open and he nearly wept in relief. But they were glassy and distant. "So cold, Eric." She got out in a puff of air from her mouth.

"I know, beautiful. I promise when we get to Dauntless, I will take you back home and we can wrap up in bed together and stay there. I will never let you leave again, Lace. You are it for me. Just don't leave me, please baby."

Her eyes were already starting to try and close again. Before they did she gave a sad smile that mirrored in her eyes. "Sorry…" She mumbled and trailed off as her eyes closed again.

"Oh god please…" Eric's voice broke as he pressed his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes and held her like that.

He wouldn't give in to grief.

She would be fine.

They would be fine.

He couldn't lose her when he had just decided that he was done denying things. Henley and Deacon would come to understand. If they didn't….then that was their loss.

She was everything to him and he knew it now.

The cold penetrated while his thoughts wandered. He drifted in them so was barely aware of his surroundings. He held Lacey close and thought that it wasn't so bad. They were together, at last, at least. They could stay like this together and it would all be fine.

It was all fine.

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 ** _Third person_**

They had a hell of a time trying to work up the cliff side. The snow was starting to finally let up and visibility was much better than when they set out. They knew they were racing against time and there was a very good chance they had lost.

But they refused to think like that. Both of them were strong people and Eric wouldn't let anything happen to Lacey. He hadn't been able to say what was wrong with her, only that something must have happened during the accident.

As they rushed and set out, words like internal bleeding had been thrown around. Words that chilled everyone's blood more than the biting cold could.

Four had the presence of mind to call for supplies and all the Erudite medics and doctors he could, to go with him. Depending on the road conditions, the conditions of their people, and the weather; they might have to retreat to Amity to tend to everyone.

He himself, along with Deacon and Sarge, a Dauntless medic in his forties and trained by Erudite; made the trek up the cliff.

They found them huddled together. Eric had thought to use the shelter of a small fissure in the rocks and behind some boulders, as shelter. It shielded them from the majority of the wind and snow but not the cold.

They weren't quiet by any means on approach but neither stirred or roused. Not a good sign. The three men shared looks while Sarge started to root through his pack. They would need to get to Lacey first.

That was easier said then done though. As soon as Sarge had reached for her, Eric had come to life. And not in a good way. He came unglued and knocked the medic back. Hard. He let loose an animalistic roar and his eyes were wild as he clutched Lacey closer to him.

Four squatted near him but Eric lunged out a punch.

Deacon moved forward and pushed Four behind him.

Knowing what was happening.

He might have never said anything, no one had come out and said it, but he had known for a while how Eric felt for Lacey. He didn't know why he was stopping himself from doing anything about it though. He sensed that bringing it up would do no good. Eric wasn't ready to take any step in that regards and saying anything would just make things awkward.

He was surprised at just how deep it went though. Judging by Eric's reaction it was deeper than he and Henley had suspected.

"Eric. It's Deacon. We are here but we need to take care of Lacey." He said in a firm but reassuring voice.

Eric shook his head and clutched her tight. "We'll be fine. We're together now. It will be fine." He muttered, clearly out of it.

Four in the meantime had been speaking lowly to Sarge. He hated to do it but they didn't have time to waste. It would be a bitch to manage but they would have to sedate Eric and carry them both out of here. Sarge prepared the injection gun.

Deacon had heard this going on and tried one more time. "Eric, goddammit do you want her to die? Look at her! Let us help! We have medicine here to at least get started."

Eric still mumbled and shook his head but he looked down at Lacey. The words were slowly penetrating. He was distracted and so intent on looking at her. Four knew they wouldn't get a better chance.

He moved forward along with Deacon and they were able to get Sarge a clear shot to his neck. A fully alert and healthy Eric would have put them on their asses with a few breaks. But this Eric was nowhere near in strength and never let go of Lacey.

Four wondered if some part of Eric was registering what needed to be done so let himself be taken down. Maybe they would never know.

The deed was done and they worked quickly. The injections of nanites were first to be injected into Lacey. Sarge had to strip her stomach to get them in and what they saw had them wincing and lips thinning. It could just be bruising and they prayed it was that. The hope was that the nanites would help enough to get her into surgery.

Once that was done they wrapped them in the warming blankets that would start the process of slow warming up, then blankets over that. Sarge was the one to take Lacey out. She had to be strapped to the stabilizing splints before that.

Four and Deacon had the wonderful task of taking the brick house known as Eric down the climb. He was not completely down and had some use of his limbs. So it helped take some of the weight.

It killed Deacon to hear Eric muttering under his breath to Lacey still. He hoped that his brother would get the chance to keep those mumbled promises.

When they got to the transports waiting for them they wasted no time in setting out.

Sarge spoke to Deacon from the other side of Lacey. Four was riding with Eric in the other medical transport. "Road conditions are no worse but visibility has improved. I sent all the other people that weren't urgent to Amity. We can't afford to go there with Lacey and Dylan. They need surgery and they ain't gettin that there."

Deacon nodded numbly as he looked over his sister. "Whatever it takes. What is the ETA to get there?" He called to the driver.

"An hour." Came the strained reply from the front.

Deacon looked to Sarge who sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "She is a strong girl, Deacon. She roused for a little on the way down. That is a good sign. We can hope the nanites help enough for the drive."

In the other transport, Four sat in the quiet beside the medic who was tending to Eric. He was distracted by his tablet and communicator going off. Trying to field orders and give out updates. It was about thirty minutes into the drive when his tablet went flying from his hands and he was knocked back by a fist flying at him.

He heard the 'oompf' coming from the medic and knew he had been hit too. "Where is she!" Eric roared in that same wild and crazed demeanor from earlier.

"Goddammit Eric!" Four huffed out and moved forward to restrain the senior leader. "Eli, I told you to go ahead and tranq his ass." Four gritted out as they both went to wrestle Eric back.

"I'll fucking kill you both. Lacey! Give her back to me." Eric continued his rant. Eli had finally managed to stick Eric and the click of the gun sounded as the tranqs were pushed into his system.

His struggles became less and for a moment the calmer Eric emerged. "Lacey?" He managed to get out in a pained whisper to Four.

Four frowned at him. "We're taking care of her, Eric. We won't let her go without a fight either, man."

If he registered that, he couldn't show it. Eric was out before the words were fully out of Four's mouth.

Four fell back with a deep, troubled sigh.

He hoped against fucking hope they could save her. Before now it was because of all their attachment to the young woman. Now that it was confirmed and clear just how Eric felt about her….if they couldn't bring her back to him; Four didn't know what would happen with Eric.

He retrieved his tablet and sent out updates, getting a few in return from Sarge. The miles and minutes seemed to drag by as they tried once again to race against time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 _ **Lacey**_

She was in a fog of jumbled thoughts and memories. Sounds came from around her but felt like they were filtering from so far away.

At first she had fought away from it all. It only kept the pain and cold too near. It was like the deeper she dove, the further from that she got, and it was so inviting. She heard his voice calling her back. She tried hard the first few times, she tried so hard for him. She couldn't stand to hear the pain his voice.

She didn't understand his words, just that he was in pain. She got so tired though and it became harder to fight. She was failing and all she could do was hope he understood when she tried to tell him how sorry she was.

The thought was circling that she was happy.

Should she be happy? She is dying, she knows that. It isn't that she is dying that she is happy about.

No that isn't what has her feeling at peace right now. It is knowing that she could have died alone. If she hadn't insisted on going with Eric to make the call for help, then he would have gone one and she would have been there alone when the pain hit.

She wouldn't have been held in his arms and looking into those blue eyes that have always been able to see straight into her soul. That was the last clear thing she could focus on. Then this deep black bliss descended over her and she didn't care about much anymore.

Now that bliss was gone. Fading away with the darkness.

The bits of memories were like rocks being thrown through blacked out glass panes. Little beams of awareness and light breaking through. Painful at first, but easier as time went on.

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 _Lacey huddled in the corner of her blackened room holding her brother close to her. The shouts and crashes seemed to be dulling but it was hard to tell for sure. She continued to stroke through Wade's hair and crooned song after song to him as she rocked them both._

 _She was exhausted and they both needed to go to bed for the night but until the fighting of her parent's ended, she couldn't stop. It helped his fear and kept him from hearing the clear words of hate that poured through the walls. Once her big sister Henley did this for her and then when Wade came along, for them both._

 _It never really completely helped but Lacey liked to think she could save Wade from knowing certain things about their parents. Knowing just how toxic their relationship was to each other. Knowing how little care and regard they had for their children. Knowing some of the ideas or plans they had bandied about their daughters that had made Henley and Lacey tremble in fear._

 _At times Lacey found herself being grateful that her parents seemed content to keep their physical assaults to each other. It was a bitter thought that seemed like a shitty thing to be grateful for._

 _Yes, they never hit their kids, normally. But they didn't do anything to help them either. While Henley was still around, her sister had somehow managed to be able keep food in the apartment. It was never much but enough to keep them fed when school was out and they couldn't eat meals there._

 _Henley was in training now and Lacey was already failing miserably. Just that morning she had went to the store to get food from the commissary and was told that all point transactions not done by either adult could not be processed. She had at first tried to plead with the clerk but it had drawn too much attention and the clerk wasn't looking to be swayed._

 _In anger she had stormed back to the apartment. When she got there she hadn't thought beyond trying to plead and reason with her mother. She should have known better, there was no way her mom would go against her father._

 _He had stumbled into room in the middle of Lacey trying to convince her mother to go with her to the commissary, she was backhanded roughly instead._

" _All you do is steal from me. You and the other little ungrateful shits." Her father had drunkenly snarled at her. Wade had started to cry and he rounded on him. "Shut up! Just shut up!"_

 _Lacey had darted forward and threw herself in front of him, getting another slap. Wade started crying behind her but Lacey still stood her ground in front of her brother. Her glare at her father earned another slap._

 _From somewhere deep inside of her boozed out state, Lacey's mother managed to pull out some concern for her kids._

" _Oh leave them alone. Let's go hit up Terri's and see what action they have going on." Her mother coaxed her father, barely sparing a glance at the sight of her two kids huddled together._

 _He paused as he continued to glare at them. "I better not hear of or catch you two trying to take anything from me ever again. Or I might just go ahead and sell your ass to the nice man that offered to pay for a pretty young girl." His grin was a leer but his tone let Lacey know he was serious this time._

 _When they had gone and Lacey had gotten Wade calmed down; she had gotten them both dressed. Today was visiting day and they would need to make their way to the Pit to wait for Henley._

 _Wade sniffled a little as she combed out his hair and made sure his shoes were all tied up. "I'm hungry, Lacey."_

 _Lacey felt the guilt stab through her but she smiled at Wade with a reassuring smile. "I know buddy. We get to go see Henley then we can get some food and cake from the dining hall. Won't that be nice to eat with her?"_

 _Wade looked down and nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess." He mumbled._

 _Lacey sighed as she moved to get dressed herself and tried to figure out a way to hide the bruising on her face. Knowing there was nothing she could do for it she thought quickly as she pulled her hair back._

 _Instead of trying to hide it she would show it proudly. She just had to get Wade to go along with the story she was going to tell._

 _She bent down in front of Wade who was still looking upset and sullen. "Buddy, I need you to do me a big favor. One for Henley too. Do you think you can help me out with something?"_

 _Wade loved being helpful and it was rare that Lacey ever asked him to do anything really big. So when she approached it in this manner, she saw his eyes lighting up and his back straightening._

" _I can help, Lacey. I am big enough now. Right?"_

" _Yeah buddy, you sure are." She affirmed with a nod and smile. "Ok. So you know how Henley is training right?"_

 _Wade nodded solemnly. "It's very important."_

" _It is and we don't want her to worry about anything do we?" Lacey said just as seriously._

 _Wade shook his head vigorously. "Nuh uh."_

" _Exactly. So that is why we are taking care of ourselves right? We need her to do her best and we can't let her think anything is wrong. So...I am going to tell her I got into a fight with another kid." Lacey said firmly._

 _Wade frowned deeply and shook his head. "But Lace...that would be a lie. We always say we don't lie to each other."_

 _Lacey chewed on her lip and she nodded. "I know Wade and I don't like it either. But it is more important that Henley not worry about us. If she worried she might not do well in fights or other things and that would be worse, right?"_

 _She paused and let Wade make up his mind with this information._

 _Wade was smart. Really intelligent and sensitive._

 _He had been doing so well at school, eating up learning like a starved child. Then their father's taunts and snide comments when he did bother to come around had begun to weigh on him and wear him down._

 _Henley and Lacey were working hard to motivate and encourage him again. Part of that was letting him make decisions and process things on his own. By supplying him information in the manner you would an adult almost and letting him know she had confidence in him to make a decision._

 _It didn't take long for him to come to his conclusion. He nodded to her with an air of gravity. "We need to make sure Henley doesn't worry."_

 _Lacey beamed at him. "Thank you for helping me make this decision, buddy. I knew you would be able to help me figure things out."_

 _Wade smiled at her proudly. "I want to help out now too, sis"_

 _She knew that she would let him take on the small things but she would always take the burden of the rest on. Just like her big sister before her._

" _Thank you, Wade. Now let's go see Henley."_

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 _Lacey hated the stares she got as Wade and she stood waiting for Henley in the Pit. Some of them were filled with pity, others were filled with disdain. It had her glaring people down and her back snapping into rigid straightness._

 _Wade was oblivious to it for which she was thankful._

 _She finally saw Henley, all but dragging two young men she had never seen before along with her._

 _They must be transfers then._

 _One hung back a little ways while the other firmly kept her sister's hand in his. He had a wide smile as he looked to her and Lacey guessed that her sister had found someone she liked. Even more reason to make sure her sister didn't worry._

 _Henley deserved to be able to have friends. To enjoy herself. She never got to do that before choosing because she was always busy taking care of them._

 _So when Henley's face had fallen before getting angry at the sight of her bruise, Lacey prepared to give her best performance._

 _Then the tall boy with the curly dark blonde hair and all too knowing blue eyes had spoken up and almost ruined her lie._

 _She had glared right back at him but inside she was shifting uncomfortably. It felt like the longer he looked at her the more he saw of everything she kept hidden inside. She didn't like it one damn bit._

 _How dare he try and see inside her hidden places!_

 _But at lunch the feeling of his stare had changed. It had felt almost comforting. She could tell he guessed what might have happened. She expected the looks of pity or disgust to be there in his eyes but it never came._

 _Instead he talked to Wade about school and for the first time in a while she saw the spark her brother had for learning coming back. As the lunch passed and they got cake, Eric had looked at her then winked before turning back to her sister and his friend._

 _It had made her feel warm and safe. Like he was telling her knew, and he had her back. It made her feel stronger in a way._

 _That was the first step for Lacey in falling for Eric Coulter at the age of nine._


	6. Chapter 6

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 ** _Lacey_**

 _School was out again. It was the hardest time of the year for Lacey._

 _During school she could make sure that Wade and she ate at least two meals a day. She was even able to pilfer away enough food at school for a somewhat dinner for Wade. Without school though she had nothing._

 _She didn't dare go to try and buy food again. Her father hadn't forgotten his threat and as she turned ten he was eyeing her more often now. Lacey thought that maybe her mother sensed it. Maybe she cared after all because when she had been around she seemed to try to draw her father's attention elsewhere at times._

 _It hadn't taken long for Lacey to come up with a plan, she had just had to execute it and make sure that it was kept quiet. It helped that she had one friend that she could trust. A friend whose mother worked in the kitchens._

 _She made a deal with Mabel, the mother of her friend. Twice a day she could make her way to the dining hall and they would give her a box of food. In the mornings she would be there before the kitchen opened and help with whatever tasks they needed. This usually got her some breakfast and in turn that made it breakfast for Wade._

 _He always came first. Sometimes there was food for them both but most times it all went to Wade. He was a growing boy and going through a growth spurt. She always told him she had already eaten and to eat what he could. She never once let on that she was eating the scraps he didn't eat or just the scraps in the morning as she took out the trash or helped to clean up._

 _Time went on and she did the best she could._

 _She felt things were working out well. She was keeping it from Henley with the help of Wade because he was happy and healthy. He would merrily tell their big sister he was eating well when they popped in for a visit to the clinic. She was busy and stressed with how much work she was having to do as well as training for her new job. Since she wasn't living at home it was easy to hide and keep her from stressing more._

 _Henley had at first been insistent she come back home and live there but that idea scared Lacey too much. It put her sister in her father's reaches and while he might be slightly hesitant to use Lacey right now because of her age, she had no illusions he would do the same for Henley any more. So she had reassured her sister that things were so much better. That because her parents were never there they were much better off now._

 _It was true that their mother wasn't around at all anymore and their father made less and less appearances._

 _Still she avoided a certain person altogether to keep her secrets. He was too all seeing and would know with just a look. Eric had that ability, to just know when she was up to something or hiding something. He had been busy with leader training so she had been able to keep out of sight and go under his radar._

 _Or so she thought._

 _One morning she came back from doing her routine in the kitchen to find Eric standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and glowering at nothing and everything. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyebrow that now sported two dermal piercings was raised. There were tattoos on his forearms that he said were marks of his journey when she had questioned him about them, but she thought he used them to add to his whole mystery and aura. He had been intimidating before but now he seemed to just ooze it. He also wasn't afraid to use that at all but seemed to lose that factor around her._

 _Unless he was angry about something with her or trying to reprimand her. Which wasn't often._

 _It looked like this morning was going to be one of those rare times._

 _She could only sigh and shake her head while she held her finger up to her lips. She had a bag of muffins and water for Wade to eat. So she went to his room and woke him up like normal. After she got him ready for the day and settled with his breakfast she went back to the kitchen and sat at the table._

" _Were you ever going to tell me?" He asked coldly and full of accusation._

 _Lacey could only shrug but he already knew the answer._

 _Eric sighed heavily and shook his head as he sat down too. "It stops now, Lacey. This is what family does, we help each other. You, Wade and Henley are my family now. So let me help."_

 _There was no room for argument in his tone, it was a command as always. This time it didn't set her dander up and wanting to rebel. She had Wade to think about and she knew they couldn't continue like they were._

" _What did you have in mind?" Lacey asked calmly and as if they were entering negotiations. Which they were and she knew Eric saw it too._

 _He studied her for a long time before he answered. "First, we have to help Henley out. We both know she is working extra hard to become a full nurse in the clinic. The training for that is insane but on top of that they still need her to work regular shifts. She has felt bad about this Lacey and asked me to do her a favor. She would like if I was able to keep you guys company for a few nights and do a dinner. She mentioned that she had said that was the condition she placed on her taking the apartment with Deacon, right?"_

 _Lacey narrowed her eyes and tried to pick up any lies in his words. She couldn't and it was true. That was the condition Henley herself had made the day she took the apartment. That they come over to her new place and she make dinner for them at least twice a week._

" _Yes." Lacey replied with a nod causing Eric to smirk briefly before he wiped it away._

" _So twice a week I take over those dinners. You two will come over to my apartment and I will make us all something to eat. School starts again soon so I will pick you guys up from the train drop after you get out of school and we can go from there." Eric said casually and with a shrug._

 _She gave this thought but couldn't find anything wrong with it. In fact, having Eric around might help her with getting Wade to do his homework. He looked up to Eric and never stopped asking about him._

" _Ok. That sounds good." She agreed with a small smile._

 _Eric rewarded her with one of his own and that feeling of warmth and safety flooded her again. Then he got serious and rubbed his chin._

" _Now that is out of the way." He mumbled before he cleared his throat. "I am going to take you shopping twice a week as well. We will get groceries that will last you for the days until I take you again and repeat. You have a microwave here so if you want to do frozen meals we can do that…"_

" _I know how to cook, Eric. I can make all kinds of things." Lacey replied stiffly and hurt that he would think she wasn't capable of taking care of herself or Wade._

 _He looked at her and smiled softly. "I didn't say you couldn't, Lace. I am just trying to figure things out with you. Make a plan. It is better to go into things with a plan right?"_

 _Lacey sniffed because she recognized the tactic he was using. She used it on Wade all the time. She still felt her anger lessening though and found herself agreeing._

" _Good. So why don't you tell me what you can make and what Wade likes to eat. Then we can figure things out from there. That will also help me to figure out what I will need for our dinners. If you want to Lacey, I can also teach you how to make other things."_

 _Just like that he had her._

 _It wasn't just that he was addressing her as an adult but that he was willing to help her take better care of her family. The idea of Eric teaching her something, anything, also appealed to her for some reason._

 _But Lacey wasn't just going to go along with things without her conditions. She wasn't going to take handouts. She believed in working for what she had. Her rationale was that everyone played a role in Dauntless and were compensated for that role in various ways._

 _She said as much to Eric who argued that it was expected the adults take care of the dependents. She wouldn't be swayed though. The compromise was that she would clean his apartment once every week. He wouldn't let her talk him into anymore than that._

 _Even though they only said once a week for cleaning and two dinners a week, Lacey and Wade seemed to always find themselves at Eric's apartment. He would show up in the mornings at times and have a breakfast with them, then come up with some reason why they should go to his apartment._

 _Wade loved it there with the growing book collection Eric seemed to be building as the days and weeks passed. When school started the two dinners a week turned into almost all week as Eric was almost always there waiting for them to get out of school and take him to his apartment._

 _Sometimes he couldn't stay and would make sure they were settled before would head back to work or some other place._

 _Eric had said they were family and she truly felt that way but she also was unsure of how she felt about him. She just knew that Eric had quickly become one of the most important people in her life._

 _That would only continue to grow as time went on._

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 _She was being called into the principal's office. For what she didn't know but a feeling of unease was settling in her stomach._

 _She was let into the office to see the Principal sitting behind his desk and Eric sitting on the other side of it looking like his usual intimidating and cold self._

 _Principal Malcolm motioned for her to come further in and have a seat while at the same time Eric must have given him some non verbal signal to leave. The man stood immediately and excused himself._

 _With a frown, Lacey took the chair beside Eric and faced him._

" _Eric, are you ok?" Lacey got out in a whisper._

 _As soon as the door had shut behind the school official, Eric had lost the cold indifference and instead looked pained. He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees and was looking at his hands that he clasped together and fiddled with them._

 _Eric didn't answer her question but asked one of his own in a soft tone. "Do you trust me, Lacey?"_

 _This only caused her frown to deepen. At the surprise of the question but also of him even asking it when he should already know the answer._

" _Of course." She replied without any hesitation._

 _He let out a breath and reached forward to take her hands in his. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you or let anyone hurt you, right?" There was a slight desperate tone to the question._

" _Eric, what is going on because you are worrying me. Are you ok?" She asked one more time._

 _He squeezed her hands and gave a small tight smile. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Lacey….I need to tell you something that will be hard to hear. You might even blame me and I understand if you do."_

" _Eric…" she started out but he stopped her with a look. She nodded for him to go ahead that she wouldn't interrupt him again._

" _When I noticed there was something wrong a few months back I started to investigate, not only what you were doing with the kitchen staff, but also your parents. You mentioned that you hadn't seen your mom at all and your dad much less often, so I looked into that. Lacey, you have to know that it would have happened no matter what. No matter how capable you are of taking care of yourself and Wade, it is still their responsibility to provide for and take care of dependents. But they didn't and their abandonment of you guys couldn't just be overlooked."_

 _He stopped and looked to her for understanding. She nodded and spoke slowly, still not understanding why he was here and what he was getting at. "Okay. I can understand that."_

 _Eric nodded as if already expected her to get that much. "During the investigation we learned that your mom hadn't been seen in a long time. Not even her familiar haunts. We tracked your father down and brought him for questioning about that but also about his treatment of his kids. During my questioning, because I took this on personally, I found out that…" he stopped and took a breath "Your dad confessed to killing your mom, Lace."_

 _Lacey felt as if the wind was knocked out of her; she went into shock. Stunned, her mouth dropped open and she sat motionless otherwise. Her silence or expression must have been too much for Eric to handle because she registered she was suddenly being wrapped up in his arms and held against his chest._

 _He ran a hand down her hair and back in a soothing and stroking manner as his lips pressed to the temple of her head. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." He whispered against her skin._

 _Her hands had moved to clutch at his jacket, to steady herself and she let out a shaky breath._

 _So many emotions were colliding inside of her but none of them were truly grief._

 _Was she surprised at this development? Not really. They had always been violent to each other._

 _Once Lacey had confronted her mother and asked how she could be with someone that treated her like that. Her mom's reply had stuck with her and would stick with her for years to come and might have been part of the reason she waited so long to lose her virginity._

" _Better get used to it, baby girl. We are Dauntless here. We fuck hard and fight even harder. Don't expect any different from the men you end up with here, probably not even if you transfer. Unless you're smart and don't trust your heart to anyone." The woman had replied bitterly._

 _There had always been threats tossed around between the two of them, no matter that minutes later they would also turn the physical altercations to just as violent sex._

" _Talk to me, Lacey." Eric coaxed her after she had sat in silence digesting everything._

 _Only when a sudden and panic inducing thought struck her did she feel any kind of pain and grief, tears filled her eyes at it. "What's going to happen to us? Is Wade going to be taken away from me?" She gasped out, clinging tighter to him and her eyes wide as she looked at him._

 _Eric's forehead crinkled and he started to shake his head violently. "No one is taking you away from me, Lacey; neither of you. If I have to, I will become your guardians myself to keep that from happening." He growled out and gripped her a little tighter with a scowl on his face, like someone was there trying to pull her from him at that moment._

 _He took deep steadying breaths before he continued while reaching up a hand and brushing her tears away. "Until then you will stay at Henley's. What I am hoping for and already talked with her about, is guardianship passing to her and the two of you going to live with her and Deacon."_

 _She sagged in relief and almost melted into his arms at that. She should have known he would have a plan; he always had a plan._

 _He was still frowning and looking at her searchingly. Then his words from the start played back for her. "I don't blame you, Eric. You did your job but also wanted to protect us. How could I blame you?"_

 _He shrugged but she could tell he was relieved at her words. "Because I'm the one that arrested him. I'm the one that questioned him and because of that I am the one taking him away from you."_

 _Lacey smiled sadly at him and thought that if he only knew he is also the one that probably saved her from a gruesome fate. But that was a secret she would carry alone._

" _Is it wrong of me to not feel anything but maybe relief they are gone, Eric?" She asked with her mouth turning down into a frown._

 _He resumed his stroking of her hair and shook his head while letting out a breath. "No Lace, it isn't wrong at all. Maybe someday soon I can let you talk to someone I know that might have an idea of what you went through, are going through. It will up be to him if he wants to share his story but I think he might if it will help you."_

 _She nodded but didn't reply to that. She had another thought. "We need to tell Wade."_

 _He nodded as well. "We are going to go together and get him from his side of the school then we will head back home. Deacon and Henley are already waiting for us there and we will talk to him as a family."_

 _The thought of that and Eric's care made her smile._

 _That is what they had done._

 _Eric took her hand in his and led her out of the office where they followed the principal to Wade's classroom. Then when Wade was with them, he led them both to a waiting transport instead of the train. It was to Eric's apartment they went where her sister and Deacon were waiting just like promised._

 _Wade did cry a little for the loss of his parents. But Lacey thought it was more the idea of them and not them really. He was also scared and just as worried as what would happen. All three of the older Dauntless set to reassure them both that they would never be separated and never taken from the family._

 _Eric must have had some hand in how quickly things were handled because in less than a week Henley was officially made their guardian and they were also moved into another apartment, bigger to accommodate them all now that she had also married Deacon too._

 _She was sure that was Eric's doing as well because she and Wade never set foot back in their old apartment again. What belongings they did have were moved for them and they went straight from staying with Henley at her apartment to the new one they would now start over in._

 _In all the tangled emotions Lacey had from that day one of them stood out and would take her years to sort out. The memory of being in Eric's arms and how his embrace had felt different from any shared with her brother or sister._

 _One thing was for sure on that day for Lacey at least. She knew she loved Eric. It would be another few years before she knew what kind of love it really was._


	7. Chapter 7

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 _ **Lacey**_

 _Once again, but several years later, Lacey found herself huddled in a corner of her darkened room. Sobs wracked her thirteen year old body until her face was puffy, her eyes were almost swollen shut and her voice was all but gone from crying so hard._

 _She heard the front door open and closing in the distance and knew before she heard the steps who it would be. It wasn't just because she knew Henley and Deacon had been rushed away with Wade._

 _No, she knew because she always knew it was him. She could tell you the exact moment he came near without being close to her or in the same room. She didn't understand how she knew or why. She just always did._

 _He seemed to have the same sense because he didn't even need to flick on a light to know she was in her room and against the wall, her back pressed against the corner. He moved silently and softly to her side. He just as gently lifted her in his arms at the same time he slid down in the position she was just in, cradling her in his lap._

 _Neither spoke, he just held her._

 _Finally she broke the silence and her tears broke free again. "What if loose him, Eric? What if they can't make him better?"_

 _His arms circled around her tighter and he shook his head in the dark against the top of her head. "That isn't going to happen, Lacey. I told you I will always protect you both and I will. Don't think like that, sweetheart. You know I came from Erudite, so I know what they are capable of. I promise you I am making sure he gets the best possible treatment and medicine. Whatever it takes."_

 _She nodded but it didn't stop the tears or her shaking._

 _It had all happened so fast._

 _Wade had come home from school and wasn't his normal energetic self. But he was going through another growth spell and Lacey had been through those before with him. He had felt only a little hot so she gave him some fever reducer and water then made sure he was tucked into bed to rest._

 _Henley was at work and not due to get home for another hour or so and Deacon usually followed soon after. She started on dinner and an hour later went to check on him._

 _She had found him a tangled mess in sheets but having fallen off the bed and drenched with sweat. His fever raged and she immediately knew something wasn't right. She didn't have a phone and did the only thing she could think of doing, she ran to her sister and the clinic. She ran faster than she ever thought possible, shoving people out of the way if needed._

 _One look and Henley knew something was wrong. Lacey had gasped out what she knew and the staff jumped on it. But they made Lacey stay back, even having someone hold her when she screamed and fought her way to try and go with her sister and the others._

 _It seemed to take hours for Wade to be rushed in and they still didn't let her go to him. There was a flurry of activity before, once again, there was rushing. Only this time it was Wade being taken from Dauntless completely._

 _Henley had time to barely tell her that he needed surgery to remove his appendix. Lacey had to stay behind until someone could bring her to the Med Center. She was told to wait in the clinic but as the hour went by she just couldn't anymore._

 _She didn't feel safe. Felt too exposed and guilty for not being able to do anything for her brother. Along with questions of what if she had taken him to Henley right away bombarding her._

 _It was when the thought of losing Wade hit her that she went running. She wanted to go to where she always felt safe and protected. The place that had become her sanctuary. It was impossible though so she went to the only other place she could get that feeling now._

 _Lacey wasn't sure how long she sat there in the dark of her room. It had to have been a few hours at least. She wondered if Eric had come straight from the clinic where she was supposed to wait or here to find her?_

" _I called the clinic staff while I was en route back from Erudite and the meeting. I left as soon as I got the word and knew I had to get to you. They told me you had run away. At first, I was sure you would be at my apartment but then I remembered you don't have a key. I knew you would be here if you couldn't go there." Eric replied in a soft whisper against her hair._

 _She hadn't meant to speak her thoughts aloud. She could swear she didn't. He had a way of knowing her that stunned her sometimes._

 _His words and his presence, along with the way he moved his strong hands up and down her back in soothing motions, sent warmth through her. She took in a deep breath and inhaled his scent. It was one she had come to associate with strength and security now. Mint and sandalwood. The beat of his heart under her cheek calmed the tears that had started to ebb._

 _Then Lacey felt the first stirrings of the change. She noticed that the warmth she felt being in his arms was different. It was a buzzing, fluttering kind of warmth that was making her stomach do weird things. The feel of his lips pressing to the top of her head or at her temple had her eyes fluttering closed and a longing for something else. For those lips somewhere else. The scent of his cologne and the underlying scent of Eric started to make her feel lightheaded and almost dizzy._

 _Lacey let out a small sound of distress and Eric tightened his arms around her, bringing her even closer where the sheer size of him engulfed her._

" _I've got you, Lace. I'm not letting go." She couldn't see his face but she heard the tone. Deep and full of emotion. She also thought there might be a tinge of confusion._

 _She didn't respond but just nodded into his chest. He held her for long minutes. Then the worry for Wade and need to see him started to push away all the new found confusion and feelings._

 _Eric stood them up and then took her to Erudite. He kept his promise too, he didn't let go of her hand once. Not until Henley came rushing out and found them to tell her Wade was going to be ok._

 _Her sister pulled her in her arms and hugged her tightly. A nurse came out and announced that the family could see him now. And then without thought, all of them made their way in._

 _It was then that the first pangs and shackles of guilt would find their way to Lacey. Becoming the first of links that would prevent her from ever seeking to explore the feelings she was beginning to have for Eric._

 _Eric was her family. Her brother. He may not share the same blood with her and her two siblings but if she had learned anything over the last few years it was that blood didn't always make for family._

 _Shame tinged her thoughts. The shame of a young teenage girl for having a crush on someone she could never have._

 _It was also the first time she felt her heartbreaking because of Eric. It wouldn't be the last._

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 _It was a weekend; just days before Lacey's fifteenth birthday that would happen during the middle of the week. She had denied wanting anything big for the day. She was never much for parties. Even though other dependents her age and her Dauntless member friends went to many themselves, she rarely went._

 _She preferred to spend her time with her family, or the friends that shared the same reservation about being in the too loud and insane crowds._

 _Most weekends now that she was a full fledged teenage girl, she spent in her room. Chatting with friends or giggling about various boys. Listening to music or writing. The writing was always kept secret though._

 _The days and weekends she went to Eric's had started to dwindle and that had been on purpose on her part. At first it was to keep herself from feeling things she knew she had no business feeling as far as her crush._

 _Then it had been almost out of spite and jealousy after a dinner at his house where the girl he was dating turned up and joined them. Lacey had done nothing to betray the seething jealousy and anger she felt inside. She was glad that Eric for once wasn't picking up on those hidden things inside of her that he seemed to see right through._

 _It had hurt that he would bring someone else besides family to their special time. They saw far less of each other than they once did and these dinners at his apartment were even more precious to her._

 _It hurt also to get a visual of what she always knew but was able to live in denial about. She knew Eric dated. That he saw women and those were his lovers. To know it logically was one thing, but to see it and have to have a complete visual of just how ridiculous her crush is, was another._

 _Even if the fact that it was completely wrong to long for him because of their family connection wasn't a factor, it would never happen._

 _She was a little girl. A nothing compared to the women he could and did have with the snap of his fingers. It had hurt something awful and gave her the first bout of self-consciousness she would experience many times over her teenage life._

 _So when Eric would make plans for dinners she would always beg off that she had other plans. Her guilt only deepened when she saw the real hurt behind his casual reply of acceptance._

 _Last night Eric had come to her family's apartment for dinner. As she was helping to clean up, something he was doing beside her, he had turned to her and stiffly informed her that they would be having dinner at his place tomorrow. That she and Wade would also be staying the weekend in celebration of her birthday._

 _While feeling a bit of a tingle of pleasure at the thought, she also felt the normal tangle of feelings as well. It had her shaking her head and trying to beg off again._

 _Eric had tossed down his dish towel angrily and turned to her, crossing his arms over his chest. "The plans are already made, Lacey. You either show up after school on Friday on your own or I go find you and drag you there. Your choice but you won't like it if you make me take the second option." His voice was cold and hard, letting her know he was also hurting._

 _She had sighed internally but something caused her to lash out at him, remembering her own hurt at the dinner she had been forced to share with his flavor of the month._

" _Are you sure Tara or whoever else you are seeing, won't mind having to give up time with you to some little kids?" She asked in a snide and bitter tone._

 _Eric's head tilted and his eyes narrowed. "Is that what this has all been about? You always coming up with excuses why you never want to come over anymore? Did she say something to you?" He asked stepping forward, his face becoming tight with the anger he was so obviously feeling at the thought of it._

 _Lacey swallowed the guilt and the lie she wanted to say. To say the woman had indeed said something. She hadn't but the looks were enough. She had cast glares in Lacey's direction that the young teen couldn't understand._

 _But she couldn't do that and so she shook her head. "No she didn't say anything."_

 _Eric didn't seem to believe it though and he continued to study her. Then his expression changed and something passed over his eyes before he stepped forward and took her chin between his fingers firmly._

" _No one will ever be as important to me as you are, Lacey. You all are." He added the last part quickly and then frowned a little. "That will never change and if she or anyone else doesn't like it then they aren't worth my time. You will always come first."_

 _Her heart flip flopped over wildly at his words and it had her mouth going dry. For a moment a bit of hope shined through and she found herself smiling._

 _Eric smiled back and stroked her cheek with one finger. "You're my family, Lace. I could never put anyone else above my family."_

 _Her smile had faltered just a tiny bit but she fought it back into place and nodded to him. The now familiar guilt and pain slammed into place but she couldn't let it cause her to ruin the moment._

 _Eric happy was something she could never be the cause of ruining._

 _Despite all of that she found herself smiling widely as she let herself and Wade into his apartment that Friday afternoon when they got out of school. She had her own key and had from the night they had sat waiting at Erudite Med Center together while Wade was in surgery._

 _Eric had said that he never wanted her to be locked out when she needed him and handed her the key on it's own little keychain._

 _Once given to her, Eric had fully expected her to use it and she had. Until the dinner and the thought of possibly walking in on something she shouldn't, started to make her stop._

 _Today would be the first time in a few months that she was going to the apartment without Eric already there or Henley and Deacon with her._

 _Wade went straight for the refrigerator, kicking off his shoes, throwing his jacket and dropping his backpack; like a trail of breadcrumbs along the way. With a shake of her head Lacey laughed and picked up after him._

 _Once she put everything away and saw he was settled, she made herself comfortable. She grabbed a can of her favorite soda and saw that Eric had went and stocked up on all her favorite candies and snacks. She grabbed a bag of chips and made her way over to the couch, grabbing a book from his shelf along the way._

 _Wade had already fired up the gaming system Eric had bought for them to play together and was focused on the racing game. It was an old comfortable feeling that Lacey realized she had been missing so much lately._

 _She sunk into the couch with a smile and lost herself in that and the book._

 _Eric usually made his way home an hour or two after they got out of school and they were still waiting when there was a knock on the door. With a frown Lacey got up to answer and was greeted with the sneering glare of Tara._

" _Oh, it's you. Eric here yet?" She demanded and shoved her way in without even being told it was ok or asking._

 _Lacey's temper flared but she fought it back. "Nope." She replied simply then let the door slam into place._

" _Of course." Tara sighed and popped her gum annoyingly._

 _Lacey gritted her teeth and moved back to plop sullenly on the couch. She picked up her book but the enjoyment of it was gone. She just needed something to distract her from the foul presence of the woman prowling around Eric's apartment._

 _Tara went to his bedroom and Lacey wanted to tell her that she should get out of there but then she remembered she had probably been in there lots of times. That was only reinforced when she heard Tara exclaiming something loudly._

" _Oh there are my favorite earrings. I knew they had to have fallen out in bed." She was smirking as she fiddled with an earring at her ear and was looking rather pleased with herself._

 _Keys rattled in the door. She suddenly straightened and put on what Lacey could only describe as some kind of seductive air. She even adjusted her top to reveal more cleavage._

" _Ugh." Lacey said outloud without meaning to while rolling her eyes._

 _Tara shot her a dirty look that just happened to be caught by Eric as he entered the door._

 _She wiped it away quickly but not quick enough and it had him narrowing his eyes at her for a second before he seemed to dismiss her completely. He looked to Wade who smiled and waved at him. Then his eyes moved to Lacey and looked at her searchingly._

 _Lacey gave him a smile that caused one of his own back before he sighed as if in relief._

 _Eric slammed the door behind him and looked to Tara again, who was scowling as she looked between Eric and her._

" _What are you doing here, Tara?" He snapped at her coldly._

 _Tara simpered and moved forward. "It's the weekend, Eric. I thought we could get together and" she shrugged suggestively "do something fun."_

 _Eric shook his head and moved to the kitchen area where he started putting up everything he had from work. "I already told you when you called this afternoon that I have plans."_

 _Tara pouted and went to put a hand on his arm. "Oh I am sure I can make it worth your while to cancel."_

 _He shrugged her off and lifted an eyebrow. "I very seriously doubt you could. In fact I know you wouldn't. I have plans already."_

 _Tara's demeanor was changing and Lacey couldn't say what her expression or tone contained. Jealousy maybe? But why? Could she be so petty as to begrudge him spending any time with his family?_

" _You can't be serious, Eric? You would rather spend the weekend babysitting or with some little girl?" She screeched out angrily._

 _Lacey smirked and covered it with the book as soon as she saw Eric's face. She could tell his patience was already gone with Tara the minute he opened the door. The woman might have just put the nail in their relationships coffin._

 _Eric's eyes went cold and hard, menacing even. "I will spend my time with who I want and how I want. You can count yourself out of that equation from now on though." He moved over to the door and opened it without another word._

 _Tara stood there with her mouth hanging open and looking between Eric to where Lacey sat, who was very purposely not looking back at her._

" _Ugh. Fine!" She said after Eric motioned with his hand in a 'get going' manner. "Don't even think of trying to get me back after this."_

 _Eric smirked and shrugged. "Fine by me." Then slammed the door in her face without another word._

 _He turned from the door and caught Lacey looking at him. He gave her a wink and moved to his room to get changed out of his work clothes._

 _Lacey blushed and bit her lip as she tried not to feel pleased about the development. She shouldn't feel good about it considering she had a feeling she was the cause of Tara's behavior and the breakup._

 _She shouldn't feel good but she did. Eric had said no one would be as important than her and he had just proved it._

 _It hadn't just been for her though. That did make her mood deflate slightly. She had to remind herself of this._

 _She made a vow that she would remind herself of that everyday so she never forgot. She couldn't let her taboo feelings come between her family anymore._


	8. Chapter 8

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 ***Anything in italic is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 _ **Lacey**_

Other memories, other moments, with Henley, Wade, Four and even Tris pierced through the haze she was under.

Sometimes they went back and forth on the timeline of her life, changing from one person to another. At times it felt like this was because of the muffled voices calling to her that belonged to those people. Like her mind was responding to them being near so pulled up memories of that person.

At times they overlapped and became too much for her to handle. Like too much noise coming a stereo. When that happened one voice always managed to break through all the rest and restore the calm. Eric's.

It always came back to Eric no matter how hard she had tried over the years to move away from that.

Like her own initiation.

When Eric became senior leader he had gleefully given up any right or need for his presence to oversee the initiation process. Before then he started to train for the position to take over so by the time Lacey's initiation was to take place he was set to only make the rare appearances.

Lacey had been relieved. On the day of her choosing she had made a vow to herself. It would be a new start for her. She would try and make more friends, be more sociable. She would date where before she always turned everyone down.

She loved her family dearly but she realized that until she started to make an identity for herself outside of them, and Eric, she would always be stuck.

Stuck loving a man who she could never have. Who would never see her as anything but a sister. Who even now only saw her as a little girl.

It was like every fate was moving against her when instead of the occasional appearance he was supposed to make, Eric was making more and more throughout the entire process.

Tris and Christina were now in charge of the training. Christina had the transfers and Tris had the Dauntless born. Four, who was a leader by then, was the one scheduled to bounce between the classes and keeping an eye on things.

For some reason, the two of them split the watch and Eric ended up with Tris while Four ended up with Chris. There were a few changes to the training so that the classes combined on certain activities during stage one. Allowing the Dauntless born to mingle more with the transfers and transfers to get to know about Dauntless from the Dauntless born.

Tris had later said that this was suggested on purpose by herself and Chris after their own initiation because they had felt so isolated and kept separate. The hope was that by allowing them and encouraging them to mingle earlier it would help the transfers assimilate to Dauntless life easily.

It hadn't bothered Lacey because it gave her the opportunity to meet people that didn't already know about her family or past. To have that fresh start.

When it came to the girl transfers that was easy. The boy transfers was harder. Not only because she found most of them to be annoying as hell but also because of what happened when she did try and engage them or they her.

Eric happened.

Every. Single. Time.

The classes were put in the same training room for the fights. So that Transfers could see the Dauntless born fights and Dauntless born could see the Transfers.

Lacey had been there when Four and Eric were debating against Tris and Chris regarding this development. Oddly enough Four had at first been against it as had Eric.

The girls won the two leaders over in the end when cited that having the fights be open to both classes would motivate them both since there was still the ranking system. It would also show the transfers examples of what hard training could produce and would further the integration of the two groups.

There were a few other things the girls used this same argument with and won. Tris had smirked as she mentioned later on to Lacey that they were working towards combining the classes eventually.

There were a few transfer guys that would end up becoming friends. One she had dated before they decided being friends was better.

Those friendships had survived even with Eric always inserting himself and glaring or threatening them.

If a guy so much as looked like he was near her to do anything other than train he would materialize and suggest in a very clear threatening tone that they should find something more productive to do and quickly before he found something for them.

At first Lacey hadn't really minded because it was taking time to come out of the shell she had put herself in socially in an effort to protect herself but also because she was always so busy. She was also trying to concentrate on doing well during initiation so being overly social wasn't too much on her mind.

But stage one ended and with fear sims she found the company of others going through the exact same thing she was going through was good. She still didn't like to party too much but she found herself hanging more and more with a few of the guys.

One night she had went with Rick, a Erudite transfer, to a popular bar that had dancing. She had maybe a drink or two and was dancing when she felt the thundercloud of his presence descend on her quickly.

Eric had been there the entire time so it wasn't like she was surprised. What she was surprised by was that he dragged her out of the club, literally picking her up and caging her in, while he carried her out. She had been livid and more than a little embarrassed about his behavior and was very loudly telling him this.

He had taken her to his apartment and started shoving water at her saying she was drunk.

She hadn't been, not by a long shot. But she had been having fun and might have been dancing a little too close to Rick then she would have before.

She had tried to tell Eric this, that she wasn't drunk but that she was just enjoying herself and the moment.

He had sneered at her and said he knew what he saw and he expected more from her considering her parents. It had hurt, badly.

"Why are you doing this, Eric? Why does everyone else around me get to live their lives and have relationships but it isn't ok for me? Henley has Deacon. You are practically living with Ashley now...or she is with you. Hell, even Wade has a girlfriend! Wade! My bookworm brother! So why can't I have a life, Eric? Why can't I go out and find someone that will see me as a woman? That will love me and wants me for…." She had stopped and trailed off angrily before shoving away from Eric and moving towards the door.

He had stopped her and spun her around moving in close, looking wounded and angry all at the same time. Then he had taken a breath and nodded. "You're right. You deserve to have a life and make your own way." Then he had reached out and cupped the side of her face as his eyes moved over her face slowly, like he was drinking her in. "But you also deserve so much more than just someone who wants you for something physical. You are too special to have anything less than someone who will respect you, remain loyal to you and realize how amazing you are, Lace. You're everything…..I mean you should be their everything."

His words and tone took her breath away but also just served to confuse her more. There was a second that she thought, pitifully, he was talking about himself. That he was also a second away from kissing her.

Then Eric had cleared his throat with a frown and backed away. "You should get back to the dorms."

Normally he would have insisted he walk her there himself. But on this night he gave her a cold dismissal and it had tears burning her eyes while her heart broke for a reason she couldn't understand. But it felt like some door that had been starting to open, a window of opportunity, had been slammed shut.

With a nod she had swung the door open and then ran full out away from him. For the first time since the day she met him, she couldn't get far enough away from the one person she had always run to.

Things had changed after that night and not all in bad ways. For the remainder of training Eric didn't hover quite as much. He was still always there and it had been a thing that Lacey would sit with him and his table for lunch. Instead of the dinners at his apartment they always found themselves having at least one dinner together in the dining hall.

Lacey found that she gravitated towards friendships with the older Dauntless. Four, Tris, and Marlene became some of her closest friends. Four had already started down that road when Eric had carried through with a promise he had made to her to let her speak to someone about her childhood. That had happened about six months after the day she had found out about her parents.

Because she became close to Four, that had worked in Tris when she transferred in and she had slowly found herself being included in their circle of friends. She felt better about the fact that she just was never going to be a partier like it seemed the people closer in age to her were. It might have had something to do with the fact that her parents were such heavy drinkers and obvious partiers. But her older friends always assured her that it didn't make her strange and she shouldn't feel the need to change just because others might tease her about it.

"Fuck 'em" Became her adopted motto, care of a grinning Uri, as he threw his arm around her shoulders one day at dinner.

She didn't try too hard to date but she and Rick did continue seeing each other throughout the rest of initiation. He became the first guy she ever kissed or did anything sexual with. It had just been what you could call heavy petting and all over the clothes.

It had felt nice and her body had responded but it hadn't felt right and she hadn't felt right about going further when all she felt for Rick was...comfortable.

At the time that they decided to be friends, Eric had decided to take his relationship to Ashley to the next official level and asked her to move in.

Lacey found this out the night of the celebration for the end of initiation. He had told her himself at least. She had smiled at him and told him she was happy for him, which had made him look sad for a moment. Then they had moved on to something safer. Her ranking and her job choice. Impersonal and away from anything to do with their love lives.

Before the end of the night she had found him and pressed something in his hand then tried to keep the tears from her eyes but she had failed and walked away as quickly as she could instead. There had been no way that she could keep Eric's apartment key. It had felt wrong.

It had felt like she had been replaced in his life and she had no place there any longer. It felt like the remnant of her girlhood dreams were finally shattered and she knew there was no going back to the way things were ever again.

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Bits of conversations, real conversations, going on around her started to filter through. Sometimes the person was talking directly to her other times she could tell they were talking to someone else. But she was floating just under the sea of being able to be fully conscious.

She felt the worry and panic from those around her at times and wanted to reach out to soothe it but couldn't. She felt like she was getting stronger even though the status of her being able to do anything hadn't changed. She was still floating.

Floating along still on those memories.

"Little Lacey Matheson." Came the distinctive purr of Ashley, Eric's live in girlfriend of almost a year, came from behind her at the line in deli she was grabbing some lunch from.

She gave Lacey a friendly seeming enough smile, but Lacey heard the condescending tone that she said her name in. This had been occurring more and more as the two came into contact. Lacey didn't understand why because she had done nothing but make every effort to be nice and accommodating to the young woman. A young woman that was only a few years older than she herself is. A point that she tried not to think about too often or with bitterness.

Over the last few months though Ashley would often stop her when she was outside of the office or stop by the office and lay on false sweetness while making snide comments to her.

It looked like today was going to be another one of those days.

"Hey Ashley." Lacey smiled at her and ignored the tone and look. "How are you today?"

She rolled her eyes at Lacey and sighed. "Oh fine. Tired though, you know. It was a long night for me." She stopped and smirked at Lacey wickedly. "Well for both Eric and I. Surprised he was able to drag himself out of bed at all."

Lacey felt the stab of pain but still kept the smile on her face. Something she was getting very good at doing now. She laughed a little and nodded. "Well, I think Eric would still go into work even on death's door."

That was said honestly. She had seen Eric push himself beyond what anyone should or would and still keep working hard.

This apparently wasn't the answer or reaction that Ashley was looking for and her lips thinned. "You know, I was talking to Eric last night and saying what a shame it is that you aren't seeing anyone. I mean, surely you have some kind of life outside of always seeming to be glued to his side?" She looked Lacey up and down and tilted her head to the side. "You're pretty enough, I guess."

Lacey felt another stab of pain and flare of the self-consciousness that was a constant for her lately about her changing appearance. She was seventeen, almost eighteen, and her body had decided to balloon out in areas that had been more sleek and slim before. Her ass and boobs for one. She didn't know how to handle it so had taken to wearing baggy black hoodie sweaters over her black jeans most of the time.

"Hey Lace, sorry I'm late." A breezy and seemingly breathless Tris said as she came to stand beside the two girls. Tris gave Lacey a genuine smile but then turned to Ashley and the smile turned obviously false. "Oh hey, Ashley. What were you two talking about?" Tris asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Hi Tris." Ashley returned the false greeting. "Oh you know, how Lacey here should be dating. I mean she is a pretty little girl." She put emphasis on the 'little girl' part.

Tris paused for a moment, eyeing Ashley. "She is a beautiful young woman. You know Lacey, I don't know if I ever told you, but I am always hearing from guys around the control room how they think the fact that you don't try to overdo your makeup and feel the need to wear revealing clothing is extremely attractive. I happen to agree, there is something to be said for a woman that is comfortable just being her natural self. Wouldn't you agree, Ashley."

Ashley gave Tris a venomous glare before sniffing and whirling away, her bleach blonde hair wisping after her.

Tris snorted after she left and linked her arm with Lacey's.

Lacey smiled tightly but then sighed. "Why is that a thing with the girls Eric is with? They always seem to target me and I don't know why." Lacey mumbled.

She didn't understand it at all. Didn't they understand they had him? Ashley had Eric and Lacey never would. She was just his sister.

Tris bit her lip and tilted her head. "You really don't know?"

Lacey looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "Would I be whining about it if I did?" Lacey retorted.

Tris smiled and shrugged. "No you wouldn't." She paused again. "She's jealous of you, Lacey. You have something she will never be able to have and she is jealous."

"What could I possibly have that she doesn't?" Lacey asked genuinely confused.

But again Tris had just shrugged. "It doesn't take much for women like her to be jealous so your guess could be as good as mine. It could be anything and it could be based on something real or just all in her head. Don't pay any attention to her." She waved a hand dismissively.

Lacey nodded thoughtfully and digested her words but was also blushing as she remembered Tris' from earlier. "Did you mean it? About that you think I am beautiful even though I don't look like Ashley or most of the other women here do."

Tris smiled at her softly and nodded. "Absolutely. I also meant I have heard the guys talking about you in the control room too but don't let that get out. Eric and Four might freak out and then I would be down a team."

Lacey laughed and blushed at the same time, pleasure at the compliment running through her. "I won't, trust me. Eric has calmed down from the overbearing protective big brother he once was but he still has that in him."

Tris just smirked a little and hummed her agreement. The two of them made their way up to the counter and placed their orders. Lacey picking up Eric's usual from the deli when he was going to be staying in the office to work.

As they sat to eat their sandwiches though, Tris dropped a bomb on her. "Oh! I forgot to mention earlier after she left, but Four said after he and Eric got through hanging out all night, that he and Ashley are breaking up. She is supposed to have already moved out or is moving out in the next few days. So she might have been trying to lash out at anyone close to Eric too."

Lacey stopped in mid-bite, frozen. "Their breaking up? Why...I mean...did he say why?"

Tris finished chewing hers and shook her head with a shrug. "He didn't say but it isn't a surprise. He was never happy with her, you know."

Lacey had suspected it but didn't want to press or go there in a conversation with him. It had seemed strange that when there were events at other factions he always invited her to go along and not Ashley. It was never listed as her being Eric's date but at times it had almost felt that way. Then there was the fact that while she still hadn't been able to bring herself to go back to his apartment, even though he had given her his key back the morning she started working, they had dinner together now at least four times a week.

Most of the time in the dining hall, but there were times it was in the office when working late, or the deli in the Pit. There was also always separate dinners with Henley, Deacon and Wade as a family. That was a scheduled event for every thursday night.

He spent so much time with the four of them, working, with just Lacey or other friends; that it was a wonder she hadn't really realized it before now.

She also wondered why he hadn't mentioned it. She thought about asking him about it but decided against it. There was something almost unspoken between them since the night he told her Ashley was moving in that they didn't talk about either's love lives.

It still left a feeling in the pit of her stomach, a small restoring of hope that she had thought and hoped had been erased forever.


	9. Chapter 9

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 _ **Lacey**_

 _Lacey nervously ran her hands down the sides of her costume, looking at the mirror of the bathroom she had stolen away to, to change in._

 _She had spent two weeks planning for tonight and preparing. Her wig was secured tightly in place, as was the mask. The contacts she had gotten matched the whole Halloween theme with the vivid green color they were. She had practiced the tone change for her voice to hopefully complete the disguise._

 _She even had a name picked out. Courtesy of a comment made by someone a few days back. They had suggested that she could dress up as the Virgin Mary. That maybe she could get an immaculate conception seeing as that was probably the one way she would have a kid with her legs locked so tight together._

 _It had been a comment she overheard when the girls didn't think she could hear. She knew they were just being catty and mean, so had tried not to let it get to her too much._

 _It wasn't the costume that made her nervous, that part was perfect. It was what she planned on doing. She was flirting with danger and she knew it. But she had to know, just had to._

 _Lacey had come to a point in her life where to move on she needed to know, maybe once and for all. She was twenty years old, still a virgin and even more desperately in love with the person she had been trying just as desperately not to love. At least not in that way._

 _What made it worse was at times she thought that maybe, just maybe, he felt a little of the same. As soon as she would get these glimpses though, he would also say something about how much she meant to him, as his family._

 _But there were the moments of touches that seemed to linger. Or the excuses to touch. It was the fact that he was always finding reasons to take her to events with him instead of dates. It was the looks he cast to her at times but she blinked and they were gone._

 _It was driving her insane and something had to give._

 _The crazy idea she had hatched to match the crazed feeling she was full of, came from reading a trashy romance novel. She blushed just thinking about the damn thing because just the subject matter alone let her know exactly where her frame of mind is at, had been for so long._

 _How often do you see a girl reading a romance novel about a forbidden love between two step-siblings? Lacey had a hidden app full of them and she could honestly say in each and every one of them she replaced the main characters with herself and Eric._

 _Every. Time._

 _She might be a virgin and not experienced in interacting with a male sexually, but that didn't mean Lacey didn't have desires and the ability for some self-love._

 _She apparently loved herself ALOT!_

 _Tonight she was going to use one of those books to try and play out at least a little bit of her fantasy. To see if just once she can get Eric to respond to her as a man to a young woman. If he will look her way and with interest in his eyes. Not a little girl or his little sister._

 _There is also a darker fantasy that is lurking there in the back of her mind. A hidden and secret hope that has to live there in the shadows. It would be wrong to contemplate it coming true. Lacey already feels bad that she is going to be so dubious. Pretending to be a completely different person to gain the interest of the man she loves._

 _But desperate times call for desperate measures._

 _After tonight, whether her fantasy comes true or not, she plans to move on one way or the other._

 _She wants a family and she can't have one if she is hung up on childhood dreams. So tonight is the night that she will put all those aside._

 _Lacey lets out a determined breath and nods at her reflection. She exits the bathroom with the bag of her clothes thrown over her shoulder. She determined to leave that in the small office Tris uses so she could change out of it before she heads home._

 _She told Henley she would be out with friends while she told friends she was going to be busy with work things. She couldn't bring herself to say anything to Eric other than she couldn't make the dependent portion of the festivities._

 _The plan is to go the club that Eric prefers to hang out in and see what happens. Making her way to the club leaves her blushing as she gets stopped several times and either nicely hit on or just lewdly propositioned. She is able to disengage or shrug them off and finally enters the club._

 _Nerves and excitement hit and she wonders after tonight what the new day will bring._

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 _What was she thinking?_

 _What in the hell had she been thinking?_

 _She hurts, so deeply. Her thighs, her core….but more importantly and so much worse is her heart._

 _Lacey dresses slowly while Eric lays on the bed with an arm thrown over his eyes. His chest is rising and falling like he is either asleep or on the verge of it, but the working of his gritted jaw tells her that isn't true._

 _It had been amazing. Beyond anything she could have ever imagined. It was every fantasy she had ever had and every one she never knew she wanted to have._

 _What had started out as her effort to just draw his eye quickly turned into her knowing she had been kidding herself, she wanted more. She had even put a condom in the bodice of her corset before setting out._

 _She knew what she was going to do and that makes it so much worse. Because it was all a lie. Lacey hadn't expected the emotion, the connection that would happen. Not for him._

 _But he had connected and he had shown such…..love?_

 _It was breathtaking._

 _It was heartbreaking._

 _Because it wasn't for her._

 _Again not for her, not Lacey, never for herself. It was the persona she created and the lie. He didn't know he had been with her. He could never know._

 _Tears clogged her throat and she was hoping to just be able to make it out of his door before they broke free. She pulled on the boots and straightened up, the cloak draped over her arm._

 _She looked over his glorious and naked body laying on his destroyed silk sheets, his pale skin only highlighted by the black sheen. She burns that image in her mind before she takes a breath._

 _She doesn't know what to say. 'Hey thanks for fucking me and taking my virginity. Have a nice life?'_

 _She rolls her eyes at herself and lets out a soft snort without meaning to. A rustle from the bed draws her attention and she looks back to find him looking at her with a bit of amusement and curiosity._

 _She swallows and motions with her thumb to the door. "I...I should go."_

 _Eric bites his lip for a second before he scoots from the bed, his eyes boring into hers. The expression is one that sends her back to visiting day when she was nine and felt he was trying to read her very soul._

 _He saw right through her then and right now she felt like he was doing it again. Her knees shook slightly and she gasped._

 _He smiled sadly at her. "Let me walk you…"_

 _She shakes her head emphatically and interrupted him. "I don't think that's a good idea."_

 _He stopped just in front of her and reached out to take some of the red hair of the wig, twirling it around his finger. She realizes this is the first time he has touched the wig. In fact, he has been very careful until now to not touch it at all._

 _Eric nods with his forehead furrowed. "You're probably right, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to. From wanting to keep you from walking out of the door at all."_

 _Damn him!_

 _Lacey screams in her mind as she feels the tears burn behind her eyes. One must escape because he reaches up to brush it away with his thumb. "Didn't think it would be this hard."_

 _Lacey swallowed and shook her head. She didn't think it would be either._

 _With a sigh he moves his hand to take hers in his own, he squeezes it gently as he leads her to the living room and the front door._

 _Before he lets her go out of it, he cups each side of her face and kisses her tenderly and slowly. This kiss stealing everything in her away. With this kiss she gives every last bit of her soul to Eric and knows she will never get it back._

 _When they pull away from the kiss, he still holds her close and presses his forehead to hers. "What will you do now?" He asks softly with his eyes clenched tightly._

 _Lacey lets out a tremulous breath and replies honestly. "Try to move on with my life."_

 _Eric jerks as if she has punched him with a strangled grunt. He tightens his hold on her for just a second as he pulls back to look at her and smiles sadly. "I hope you find every happiness then, you deserve everything and so much more. You are amazing."_

 _Lacey blinks and clenches her eyes as she nods. "So do you. Every happiness." She gets out on a gasp then she jerks away and wrenches the door open. He doesn't stop her and as she steps through and the door starts to close behind her, she catches his whispered._

" _No I don't, sweetheart. No I don't."_


	10. Chapter 10

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 ** _Lacey_**

 _It took time to pull herself out of the depression she had been under from the moment she had dragged herself into her own bed and curled up in a ball after leaving Eric. It took time and an intervention._

 _It had felt like every bit of life she had was left there in that apartment on that night four months ago._

 _Her family had all asked her worriedly what was going on, how they could help. She had nothing to tell them because she didn't know how they could help. She couldn't tell them what was wrong either._

 _Seeing Eric has been hell. He never once took it out on her, but his temper was foul after that night too. She could feel his eyes on her during the days, boring into her as she sat at her desk and just tried to get through her day. She skipped dinners with him, with her family. If she wasn't at work she was in her room either sitting in her arm chair pretending to be reading or in bed._

 _She looked a mess and didn't have the energy to care. Basic hygiene was still attended to but anything else was out of the question. She wore her hair in a messy bun because she was too tired to do anything with it and it was all a limp mess anyways. Her skin tone, always already so pale, looked an unhealthy pallid color. There were deep circles under her eyes that wouldn't go away because she couldn't sleep._

 _Sleep was the enemy. In sleep she found Eric there and lived in a world that wasn't real. A world where they were together and happy. It only made the waking world so much darker and painful. Better not to sleep or dream at all._

 _Her appetite was non-existent and as a result she was losing weight. She had gone back to wearing overly baggy clothes to hide how bad it was. Something she hadn't done since just after Ashley and Eric had broken up._

 _Henley had been pressuring her to go to the doctor to be checked out but Lacey knew they wouldn't find anything. At least she didn't think there was an actual test to diagnose a broken heart._

 _Four months in and while she knew she had to pull herself out of this, needed to do something. She had no clue what she could do though._

 _She was sitting at a table in the dining hall at seven in the morning, a cup of tea clutched in her hands and staring off into the distance at nothing. It was the weekend and she didn't have to be up early but as she didn't sleep, she wandered around at times. The dining hall was usually where she ended up when the compound started to wake up so it doesn't look strange that she is up._

 _A huff and sigh along with the slapping of a hand on the table jars her out of her daze. She looks up at the looming and pissed off figure of Tris staring at her. "Get up." She orders Lacey and turns then walks towards the door._

 _The order is clear she expects to be followed. With a frown Lacey gets up and follows Tris out of the dining hall._

 _Tris is hardly ever pissed and she has never had her directing it at her. Lacey catches up to her friend but Tris makes no moves to speak or indicate what they are doing._

 _It becomes clear they are heading out of Dauntless though. When they exit, Tris looks at her watch and nods. "Any minute."_

 _And just as she predicted the train sounds and they are running to jump on. Lacey is barely able to pull herself on and she realizes that she is ridiculously and pathetically weak._

 _Tris has to help and does so with thinned lips and a shake of her head. She doesn't say anything though, just slides down the wall of the car and takes a seat._

 _Lacey moves tiredly over to beside her and slides down as well. After another minute she can't take it anymore. "Where are we going?"_

" _Erudite Med Center, Lacey." She informs her matter of factly._

 _Lacey groans and rolls her eyes. "I'm not sick, Tris."_

 _Her friend turns her head towards her and glares at her. "No, you have made yourself sick. You have let yourself waste away and because of that, now you are truly sick. So I am taking you to Erudite Med Center where they will start the process to get you healthy again, but we are going to talk. Because this can't go on, Lacey. You aren't just hurting yourself you know? It hurts everyone of us that love and care for you to see you like this and not be able to do a damn thing for you."_

 _Lacey was no stranger to guilt. She was mired in it and felt like that was all her life is built on. But to know that she was causing this level of pain and distress absolutely killed her._

" _I know." She whispered. "I know I need to do something but I don't know how or what."_

 _Tris sighed and looked to her with a sad smile. "That is why we are going to talk and away from Dauntless." She closed her eyes and shook her head before opening them again and looking to Lacey. "I need you to know I don't like to pry. I don't abuse the cameras that are all around and I don't like to invade people's privacy."_

 _Lacey's eyes went wide when she picked up on the things Tris wasn't saying. "You….you know?"_

 _Tris bites her lip and shrugs. "I can guess, Lacey. All I know for sure is that I saw a person wearing a costume leaving his apartment. The same person that entered my office and alerted me it was being used. Which is the only reason I had to investigate in the first place. I had to backtrack your movements. Of course I don't know what went on in the between time but I can guess."_

 _Lacey closed her eyes and hung her head. "I know what you must think. I know it was wrong."_

 _Lacey felt Tris move over, slide and arm around her shoulders and then takes her chin in her hand to make Lacey look at her. "You don't know what I am thinking but I can tell you. I also don't know why you think it was wrong. Really...I don't."_

 _Tris says the last part reassuringly when Lacey glared at her. "Because he is my brother. He is my family and has been for so long."_

 _Tris frowns and tilts her head to the side. "First of all, he isn't related by blood. Not even by any type of familial relations, like….being the son of some four times removed cousin or something like that. Yes, you are all very close and it makes you a family. But Lacey that kind of thing isn't set in stone, time and friendships can change things. The only wrong thing about it is that you are making yourself sick thinking it was so wrong."_

" _That isn't all of why." Lacey gets out with tears in her eyes. "I lied to him, Tris. You saw the costume….I….he didn't know it was me."_

 _Lacey sobbed and Tris held her close, knowing she needed to get this out, get whatever she was ready to tell out in the open because keeping it inside was killing her. They both knew it. When Lacey could she finally spoke more to her._

 _On the way there, Lacey told her more about her feelings for Eric. How she had always felt. What she had done and how she had felt afterwards._

 _Tris sighed with a nod. They were sitting in a room by this time. It had been a long and hard story to tell and had been broken up by them jumping from the train, then waiting to be seen. She was finally being put in a room, an IV in her arm and fluids along with various other items being run through her veins._

" _I can't say what Eric is feeling honestly because he hasn't said anything to anyone. I know that since that night Eric hasn't been the same either but his biggest worry has been you. Eric has been almost crazy with worry for you but not sure what to do. He even asked Four if he thought he should move you to another office or send you to Amity for a while. I don't think you really want either of those things though, do you?"_

 _Lacey thought for a moment. Would it be easier to be away from Eric in another office or to be away from him completely by going for some undetermined time to another faction._

 _Just the thought of it had her feeling sick to her stomach and like she was going to panic. So the answer to that was no._

" _No. I don't want that." She whispered._

 _Tris nodded. "I didn't think so. So here is my advice to you. First, we get you better physically then you work on feeling better inside. You need to come to terms with what happened, how you feel and what you want. If you can't or won't talk to him, then you need to move on. It will be hard and you may feel like it isn't possible. But it is possible, just a difficult path to walk."_

" _I can't tell him, Tris. I will lose him completely and that will be a hundred times worse than this." Lacey said in a desperate manner._

" _It is a risk, yes. That is part of the choice you need to make. If the risk that he just might feel the same for you would be worth it."_

 _They had talked a little more after those words, but that had stuck with Lacey the most. She had drifted off to sleep with them in her mind even. It took two days for the doctor to release her and when she woke up the morning she was to be released, she knew he was there before her eyes even opened._

 _He was sitting in a chair, slumped over and looking rumpled. Like he hadn't shaved in a few days. He was asleep but looked like he hadn't gotten much of it. She stirred to turn over to her side and he started, his head jerking up and blinking._

" _Hey." She said softly._

 _Eric ran a hand over his face and yawned while stretching. He finally focused on her and narrowed his eyes._

" _Hey yourself." He leaned forward and picked up the hand still with IV's in it. He frowned deeply at it. "They said they are releasing you today. You are going to have to be put on vitamins and a special shake but they think you will be fine after a week or so."_

 _It embarrassed Lacey to think of him knowing how bad she had gotten. What she had let herself get to and how weak she had been. "Yeah, they told me last night. Whenever they bring me something to eat they have a nurse watching. They seemed to think it was some eating disorder or something."_

 _Eric closed his eyes and sighed while he squeezed her hand. "But it isn't that." He stated simply._

" _No." She replied just as simply._

" _Lace…" He began and dropped his head. "Whatever it is...whatever is going on….you can't do that to me...to us. I need you...and you…" He looks up at her. "You do whatever you have to do but you come back to me. Understand?"_

 _Lacey couldn't respond, tears dropped from her eyes and it was hard to swallow. Eric dropped his head again but raised her hand to be just at his mouth. "Just...come back to me, sweetheart."_

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"Just come back to me, sweetheart." A rumbling anguished voice sounded like a gong in the blackness.

That blackness faded a little and Lacey felt warmth reaching out to her, cradling her then rocking her forward, away from the abyss.

"I need you." That rumble turned to a hush but it remained the lighthouse guiding her way.

Reality has intruded and superimposed itself onto memory. Lacey was trying to reconcile the two images and figure out which one was right. She blinked against the light, her eyes weren't used to it and trying to process the things around her.

There was the bed underneath her, the beeping of monitors. She could feel the intrusion of metal underneath her skin in her arm, which reminded her exactly of the IV from her memory. Her mouth felt extremely dry, as if it had been ages since she had anything to drink.

She could tell that this wasn't a memory but reality. She knew it for sure when she finally was able to move her head slightly to be greeted suddenly by the most wonderful sight.

At her movement a warm hand instantly moved to her cheek and then tear filled blue eyes were gazing into hers. "Baby." It was said as a sigh and with awe, but it was the love in the tone and eyes that had her smiling.

Her voice was broken, and she struggled to get anything out...but she managed just one word. One name.

"Eric."


	11. Chapter 11

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 _ **Eric**_

Eric didn't remember getting off the mountain clearly. He didn't remember any of the trip to the hospital. He had flashes but it was all panic and anger at Lacey being taken from him.

When he woke that was all fresh in his mind along with a panicked desperation to find her. Before his eyes even opened he knew she wasn't in his arms. Which was the only place she should be and the only thing he was going to accept.

His eyes popped open and he lunged up off the bed he was on. Or he tried to.

His arms and legs resisted his commands and one look told him why.

Why the fuck was he being restrained and who the fuck had ordered that?

His mind started racing as his eyes took everything in of his surroundings. He wasn't being detained but he was being restrained on a hospital bed. There was still an IV in his arm, he had a gown on but there was no indication of anything else.

Was he being restrained because he had done something or because they are worried he will do something? His heart almost stopped at the thought of the only thing that it might because of.

Lacey is gone and they know how it is going to destroy him so they are keeping him chained up.

He is crippled for what seems like hours before something kicks him into gear.

No!

He refuses to accept she is gone.

With grunts of frustration and anger he starts to yank on the restraints to try and dislodge them. He is trying to use all his strength but it isn't all there.

"Fuck!" He roars but it is hoarse and broken.

There is a sigh from outside of his door and then a drawled voice. "And he's awake. Again. Should you do the honors this time or should I?"

"Just go put in the call to Four, Hayes. I would keep the attitude in check if I were you." Another voice replied before steps lead away and then steps moved towards the room.

Then the familiar figure of Will, a transfer initiate from Erudite during Tris', comes through the door. He looks at Eric with narrowed eyes and doesn't flinch even though the leader is giving him his best icy and intimidating glare.

"Let. Me. Out. Now." Eric enunciates each word slowly and coldly. With deadly menace.

Will stops and swallows but keeps his chin squared. "No can do boss man. Orders from Four are that until we are sure you won't put anyone else in the Med Center, you stay restrained."

"As I am Senior Leader my orders supersede all others, you will do as I say." He ground out but in the back of his mind he knew of a few loopholes that he hoped to hell hadn't been enacted.

Will shrugged. "I was told that because of your condition until both the doctor and the second in command, Four, give the ok; you are to stay in that bed and restrained."

Fuck! Of course the ass would know one of the damn holes to exploit.

"Well, then I would suggest you get both of them here immediately. Also...I want to know where…" His voice breaks and he scowls hard at the tears threatening to break lose. He takes a breath to try and continue but only a croak comes out.

Will frowns and nods. "I'll let Four tell you, but I can say they are doing everything they can for her."

Eric grits his teeth and shakes his head while balling his hands up in the restraints and yanking on them. "Not. Fucking. Good. Enough." He gasps out with each time he tries to use all his strength to break free.

Wheezing he collapses back on the bed.

Will backs up and nods. Maybe sensing the Eric doesn't want to be seen like this. "I'll just see about getting the doctor in here but we have already sent for Four."

Eric grunts in dismissal and closes his eyes. He feels tired already.

How can he be tired again already? He just woke up.

How long had he been out?

It takes too long for any answers to come and he had drifted off during the time it took. His dreams went from pleasant to nightmarish the entire time.

During the nightmares he would fight to wake and the good ones found him trying to stay asleep. He was in one of the good ones when Four finally made it in.

"Eric." Four called from beside him and gave his shoulder a few shakes.

He grumbled a little at being taken from his dream but sighed awake and turned his head to look at Four. He gave a pointed look to his bindings and then back to his second in command.

Four's lips thinned and he nodded. "We'll get to that but we have to make sure you aren't going to attack anyone else. You were still out of it, but the last few times you came out of the sedation they had to put you under, you attacked. Put one of the medics here in his own bed."

"How long?" Eric croaked out with a dry throat. Four frowned then reached over to grab a cup of water that had a straw in it already waiting for him. He held it out and lifted an eyebrow when Eric glared at him.

Eric huffed before he resigned himself and lifted his head to drink from the cup while Four held it for him. When he had gotten enough, Four put the cup down and then turned back to him.

"You have been out for three days. You had started to go into severe hypothermia. There was some internal bruising from the accident and a concussion you probably didn't realize you had." Four finishes and waits for what Eric knows he is expecting him to ask.

"Lacey?" Just the name is said in a broken whisper.

Four's eyes mist over and he looks away for a moment; Eric feels his heart plummet. "She is fighting. They had to repair several small tears that were bleeding out slowly. There was a concussion for her too. She has major internal bruising and something happened to her liver. They got all of that repaired but they said it is better to keep her in a medically induced coma while it heals more." Four sighs and looks back to Eric. "They said they don't know how she made the climb at all or that she survived the ride to Erudite."

Eric closes his eyes as the emotions weigh him down. Tears leak from his eyes without him even caring. He hears and feels the restraints being released and as soon as his hands were free he lifts them to his face. Four put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"She is fighting and did fight, Eric."

He nodded while he got himself under control then pushed back his tears. "I want to see her." He demanded.

Four sighed deeply with a nod. "I know. The doctor isn't going to release you yet and that will be the only way you can see her."

Eric glares at him and shakes his head. "Not acceptable. I want to be with her. Put me in the same room with her, move us both. I don't care what needs to be done but you will get it done. I will accept nothing less than being in that same room with her. Period."

"You know she might be here a while, Eric." Four whispered worriedly. "They said there is a chance she might not…"

"A chance. But there is a chance she will walk out of here and that is what I am going to focus on. I walk out of here when she does, Four. I promised I would never let her go again and I mean that."

Four smiled sadly and nodded. "You know, it's about time you're getting off your ass." He gave a sideways smile that made Eric's eyes widen slightly for a moment. Four laughed and shook his head. "It has always been at least a little obvious to those of us close to you two. It just wasn't our place to say anything. But we all saw how you were with her, how you always put her first. How do you tell someone they are in love if they aren't going to admit it themselves?"

Eric let his head drop and nodded feeling the weight of all that time gone. "Who is with her right now?"

"It rotates out. Wade comes over from Erudite when he can but he is still in training for his own positions there. You know how forgiving Erudite is, as in not at all. Your brothers and sister stop by as well for you both and they are helping with Wade. Making sure he is updated or just being there for him when he can't be here. Henley and Deacon are there every second they can spare. Tris and I come as well but I am trying to hold down the fort so I don't get away as much. The doctors don't want too many people that aren't considered family in there because of the risk of infection."

Eric nodded thoughtfully. "I want to be moved Four. And I am talking in the next hour. As far as work, even though I might not be released, I can work from a bed. Get me my laptop and all my gear and I will set up in the room."

Four sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "You aren't setting foot back in Dauntless unless she is with you."

It isn't a question but Eric replies to it anyways.

"Not a fucking toe unless she is with me." Eric confirms firmly and his eyes hard, letting Four know there is no argument on this.

Four nodded briskly. "I'll get Deacon to get some shit for you from your apartment and I'll arrange for the rest."

Eric nodded and sighed in impatience and also frustration that he was already tired again. "Good." He mumbled.

He was unstrapped but his physical condition felt like it's own restraint. He hated that it was his own weakness keeping him from just standing up and walking to Lacey right this minute. He hoped Four really did get it all taken care of quickly.

Everything in him was telling him that to bring Lacey back he needed to be as close to her as possible.

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The first week after he had woken and been moved to Lacey's room had been some the most tense and heart wrenching moments of his life.

First had been when his bed was wheeled into the larger room that she had been moved to for both of them to fit comfortably. He had to wait longer because it was a delicate process for her to be moved but also because the room had to be cleared.

The perks of being a senior leader. When he made a demand and pulled strings, shit got done.

It had a large couch that he could use later on, along with a small table as furniture. It's own private bathroom as well and that completed the room. Nothing fancy of course but he didn't need fancy. He just needed Lacey and this gave him that.

He hated the space that they made between the beds have, even if he understood it. As soon as the fussing nurses had gone away, Four had helped him to stand and hobble his way over to her bedside then helped him into the recliner chair that would basically become his bed and home for the time they were there.

The sight broke everything in him. He didn't even bother to try and hide the tears that streamed down his face. It was only Four there and his friend was pretty choked up himself.

Lacey looked so frail and small in the bed with all the tubes and wires connected to her. She had a tube down her throat to help her breath but they said they would be weaning her off of that in the next week depending on her healing.

She had little patches of rough skin from where she had developed a bit of frostbite and they had used skin grafts as well as healing serum. Eric had them as well and was told for both of them they would heal as if they had never been there. Not that it mattered for shit to him either for himself or her.

The majority of her bruising was internal or her stomach where the straps that had saved her life had also done the damage. It had been inevitable, he was told by the doctors. There were three deaths in the accident and all of those had been those not strapped in. The two up at the front of the transport, driver and passenger, had died instantly after being ejected when not wearing their belts. The others had suffered injuries somewhat similar but varying degrees of severity.

Those that had survived had all been ones that only strapped in when they saw Eric doing so himself. He tried to find comfort in that and also played in his mind what Lacey would say to that.

She would probably say something about the big bad leader being a 'trendsetter'. Whatever the hell that meant and what he did one day others would do the next. All while smirking at him playfully.

He sat beside her bed, holding her hand, and could almost hear her voice saying the words to him.

Being near her was better but also worse. He couldn't hold her like he wanted to. He couldn't take away her pain or make her better. He didn't even get that feeling like he always had when she was near. The one where he didn't have to touch her to know it was her.

That part was the worst because it scared him the most. It made him ask himself what if she wasn't there to come back to him.

He found himself in the first days just sitting there staring at her and talking. Hoping that at some point she would open her eyes just once for him. That his voice and presence would draw her out of her sleep and she would come back to him.

Close to the end of the week, it had looked like things were looking up. Until they seemed like everything was crashing down around them. Eric blames everyone who talked him into getting a shower and going to the cafeteria instead of staying in the room.

He had been officially released the day before and was told he was on 'light duty'. He still wasn't leaving and any work he did was from the hospital room. He hadn't showered, shaved or anything and Henley had looked at him in disgust when she had come in.

So he had listened to her prodding, gotten up and showered. Then she said that Lacey would want him to go eat. That he would be no good to her if he wasn't taking care of himself. He had let her and Deacon lead him down to get some air and eat.

He came back to chaos. Somehow Lacey had developed a bacterial infection. It almost killed her and the next few days were hell for Eric and everyone. Henley and Wade camped out with Eric in the room. Eric taking the reclining chair next to her bed. He refused to go further than that.

As if being surrounded by her family alone was what she needed, Lacey started to recover better than they expected.

Going into the second week Eric had hope. When they removed the tube and stopped the medications to keep her under, he felt like he could breathe.

They predicted two days. Two days for her to wake up.

By the fifth day Eric felt like there was a battle being waged that he didn't know the outcome to. He was losing hope and drowning.


	12. Chapter 12

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 _ **ERIC**_

"I don't care what Amity _thinks_ the fence patrol numbers should look like. We don't go by their 'guesstimations'. Get me hard numbers and don't waste my goddamn time again." Eric growled into his phone and ended the call without another word.

He tossed his phone onto the small rectangular coffee table that sat in front of the couch that was his sometimes bed and always office. Papers, files, a laptop and various other gadgets were spread out all over it as well in a total disarray.

Eric sighed and ran a hand over his hair that hadn't been styled or cut in he didn't know how long, then carried it down to his jaw and chin where a beard had started to grow.

Anyone looking at him now would be hardpressed to believe that he is really Eric Coulter, Senior Leader and not some factionless man that happens to have the same neck tattoos as Eric.

He hasn't cared to do more than shower and do basic hygiene things in the just over two weeks he has been at the Med Center. He has even been toying with just leaving the beard altogether no matter what.

He frowns and runs a hand through it, scratching. It was a bit itchy, so maybe not.

He wondered what Lace would say about it. Would she wrinkle her nose in disgust at the thought of kissing him with a beard?

These were the kinds of thoughts he had been trying to sustain himself with. What if's and fantasies.

Would she want a big wedding? That was the question he had come up with when he had imagined him proposing to her.

Then he had gone a tangent of saying fuck it and he was going to get them married as soon as she woke up. It had taken first Four then Henley to talk him down from doing that.

Both had assured him they weren't trying to prevent them from being together, which is what had almost sent Eric over the edge again. Just that him just arranging for them to be married might upset Lacey, not make her happy. That girls like to be asked and have a choice. That she would want to plan a wedding or party, or at least the choice for it.

Eric had sniffed at the choice matter because there was no choice. They were going to be together and get married. There was no other option.

But the thought of her not being happy because he didn't at least _ask_ , that had given him pause.

He remembered clearly the night he had drug her away from the club while she was still in initiation. How upset she had been and how she had looked at him. So full of disappointment and anger for him taking away her ability to live her own life.

It had killed him just as much then as it killed him now to imagine that look and reaction from her.

His fantasies from there all centered on them but working together as a couple, a team. He vowed to her as he held her hand, to always try. He was a domineering asshole and his instinct was to just _do_ , not ask. Especially when it came to her.

So he would try. Now he just needed her to. He just needed her to come back to him.

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"It's been three weeks, Mr. Coulter. We need to start looking at possible long term…."

"No!" Eric growled out loudly. "You said there was something that could be given to her and scans that can be done to detect brain activity. We will exhaust all of that before I will allow you to write her off."

"I assure you we are not writing her off. But we do need to be prepared for the eventuality…"

"The only thing you need to prepare for right now is what steps we are going to take to actually treat her and get her better. Not shunt her off to some long term care wing where she can be forgotten and not get any kind of treatment again." Eric said in a commanding and soft tone as he towered over the doctor. His intimidation was in full effect.

With a noticeable gulp the doctor nodded.

After that the doctor had spent the next few hours going over the risks, the expectations and procedures for the experimental treatments with himself, Deacon and Henley. At the end of it he had left Eric not feeling any more hopeful then he had been in the last two weeks.

"Do you think she will make it back to us, Eric?" Henley asked in a small voice as Deacon had her wrapped in his arms.

Eric looked to her, his eyes haunted and tried to summon the strength, for Henley at least. Lacey would want that. "She has beat every other hurdle so far, Henley. She always beats them and surprises the doctors every time. Lacey is coming back to us."

He said the words, he hoped with his heart, but in his mind he wasn't so sure now.

The usual round of visitors came and went. Four visited and talked to Eric about it being time for him to try and come home for at least a day or two and attend some meetings.

Eric couldn't agree because it felt like he was giving up on Lacey. He just couldn't do that.

It was late, or early, he couldn't even begin to say what time of day it was anymore. He was hunched over the bed and had taken Lacey's legs and started to rub them one at a time to keep blood circulation going. They had devices to do it but he preferred to do this himself.

"Do you remember when you were having growing pains, baby? Henley had them right at the same age as you did at eighteen. I remember Deacon telling me he had to give her massages when hers got bad. But you baby, you were being so fucking stubborn and weren't telling anyone. I knew something was wrong as you sat at the desk. I always knew when something was wrong. You refused to go home and rest or take anything. So I made you lay on the couch and I did this for you." Eric smiled a little at the memory as he worked on one leg.

"I insisted on it for the next week but I knew you had stopped hurting two days after it had started. I didn't say anything because I wanted the excuse to touch you. Any excuse. But I wasn't ready to admit why you might have never said anything either, baby."

He frowns at that at moves to the other leg.

"So much time I let us lose, Lace." He mumbled as he pushed back the pain he was feeling.

It was just too strong though and he couldn't fight it back. He put her leg down and moved up to sit with his head dropped in his hands but near her heart.

"God Lacey. That night, I was so close to just saying it. Just saying that I didn't want you to go and that I knew. I didn't and I almost killed you then didn't I? Letting you go like that…." Eric broke and stopped speaking.

"You came back to me once, Lace." He took a shuddering breath. "Just come back to me, sweetheart." Pain ripped through him as he repeated the words from the day he sat with her in a room like this before.

"Come back to me like you did before but this time I won't let you go. I need you." He finished as he took her hand in his.

There was a change on the atmosphere that he couldn't describe other than he felt her again. All this time he had spent in the room and he hadn't been able to really feel her like he had before.

But now, the humming in his blood started to sing again. Faint at first but then it built to that electrified tone only Lacey sent through him. Then he felt it radiating in her hand as he held it.

He felt the small shifts of her touch and his head jerked up. He watched her come alive then. Her cracking through whatever shell she had retreated to. He rose to stand as her eyes started to flutter open and closed. Blinking as if blinded against even the faint light of the room in night mode.

He cupped the side of her face and his heart sang as caramel ringed by green met his gaze for the first time in what seemed like years. "Baby." He got out as an expression of love met his own.

A faint smile tilted her lips and a small soft sigh escaped her lips. "Eric."

That one broken and rasped word was the sweetest music he had ever heard.

His lips moved of their own accord as he feathered kisses over her face. "You came back." He rasped in a whisper while he moved his mouth over to her cheek and ear. His hand moved to the top of her head and he stroked it.

He moved back when he felt her hand lifting to the side of his face. She gave him a crooked smile before their time was interrupted by the nurses and a doctor on duty.

The next few hours were once again a flurry of activity but this time it was all with smiles, tears of laughter and relief.

Henley sat on the edge of the bed with Lacey propped up on the pillows. The sisters had arms wrapped around each other and quiet tears as they smiled.

Eric watched from his chair beside her, having never gotten further than that. He was content to let the rest of the family have their moments with her. In the end he knew they would have theirs and when they did, he planned on saying everything they should have said before now.

A part of Eric still worried but when Lacey would look up and at him, he saw the love there that had always been in her eyes and he knew without the words what they both wanted. He planned to give her all that and more.

He would wait for his time. He could be patient.


	13. Chapter 13

**Rating: M (Swearing, smut, suggested violence and abuse)**

 **Family isn't always defined by blood and the strongest of ties can come from the most unexpected places. But could you risk losing that family when the love changes? What do you do when you find your soulmate at the age of sixteen? What if that soulmate is only nine? Sometimes all you can do…is take your time. Eric/OC AU No War, No Divergents**

 **A/N: And so here is the end of Lacey and Eric. Or is it only the beginning? ;)**

 ***Anything in** ** _italic_** **is either a flashback or internal thought/conversation**

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 _ **ERIC**_

There is a limit to Eric's patience.

He liked to think that he had honestly shown much more than he could have reasonably been expected to show given the circumstances.

He had been a fucking saint with as much patience as he had shown. Four hours of family, doctors, nurses and all manner of interruptions with scans and testing. He had been patient through it all.

But Uriah Pedrad showing up with the other band of merry men and a pan of cake was just about the limit of that fucking patience.

It had snapped. He had snapped and they had run.

Damn straight!

Now it was just Lacey and Eric. A highly amused and exhausted Lacey, but she was his alone for the moment.

Until the next round of nurses came in to check on her which seemed to happen much more often now that she was awake than when she was still out.

"Are you ok?" Lacey asked with a tired smile as Eric helped to get her settled on the bed for the night.

Henley had helped to get her bathed and groomed then changed into a nightgown from home instead of the hospital gown. They had left and Eric was getting them both settled in for the night.

He quirked an eyebrow at her and chuckled wryly. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Lacey shrugged and frowned. "Well, we know how I am doing, Eric. I get asked it every hour by nurses. You get a real time update into every detail of how I am doing. I want to know how you are." Her voice was still raspy and broken but was getting stronger as time progressed.

Eric paused and chewed on his bottom lip in thought. Did he want to do this now? Yeah, he didn't want to waste another second.

"Honestly, I am much better now that you are awake baby." He watches her face for her reaction to the nickname. He sees her eyes mist up and a smile play on her lips.

"Eric." She breathes.

He takes this as a signal and with a quick look around he gently scoops her up and moves her so that he can lay with her on the bed and her mostly lying on him and his side. She wraps her arm around him and lays her head on his chest then lets out a sigh of contentment.

Eric turns and puts his face at the top of her head and breathes her in. Breathing in truly for the first time since….well since that night they had together.

"God this feels good." He mumbles as his body relaxes into her and the bed.

Lacey mumbles something too low for him to hear and has him reaching to tilt her head up so she is looking at him. "What did you say?"

Lacey blushes, color tinging her cheeks. "I asked if this is real?"

Eric cups the side of her face and holds her eyes. "The only real thing in my life I care about. The only thing I have ever really cared about but fought against for way too long, Lacey."

Tears form in her eyes and she moves a hand to clutch his shirt. "Eric…" She stops and takes a breath. "I...I need to tell you something. You may hate me for it but…"

Eric closes his eyes and shakes his head before he leans down and catches her lips to stop her. It isn't a deep kiss but tender and soft. Like the one they shared just before he let her walk out of his apartment door. He pulls back and brushes away the tears that are freely falling now.

"Sweetheart, do you really think I didn't know? That I wouldn't be able to sense it was you from the minute I walked into that club?" Eric asked softly and just as worriedly.

Lacey isn't the only one that carried around guilt and regret from that night.

"You knew?" She gasps, her eyes wide.

"I knew." He confirms with a nod, watching her closely.

Lacey breaks down into sobs, and Eric pulls her close hoping she doesn't push him away for his deception. For letting her hurt for so long but being to afraid and lost for what to do to stop it.

"I thought you…" She gives a shuddering sob "That you didn't and that you fell for the person I was pretending to be. I felt so horrible...and so ashamed of what I did…"

"Baby….god...no." Eric makes soothing motions on her face and brushes his lips along her forehead and eyes. "You had no reason to be ashamed at all. That night...fuck, it was everything to me Lacey. The only regret I have is not realizing I was being stupid for letting you walk away at all. Then seeing you hurting afterwards...and I just fucking let you. Baby, if anyone should feel ashamed it's me. If anyone should be afraid of the other person being angry, it's me."

But Lacey isn't having Eric's self-reproach and tears, and she tells him so with words and her own kisses. That turns into them finding their mouths gliding against each others while their tongues softly slide together. There are soft sighs and moans and when the kiss builds Eric gathers the strength to end the kiss.

"I love you Lacey." He says with no hesitation and everything he feels shining his eyes. "I have loved you far longer than I really knew what the love meant. I can't and don't want to imagine my life without, not for another second."

Lacey smiles; it lights up her eyes, face and his heart. "I love you too, Eric. I always knew I loved you differently than Wade and Henley but for so long I didn't know what that meant. Then...I was afraid that those feelings would make me lose you somehow. But I don't want to live without you in my life either."

Eric smiles widely then takes a breath and puts the rest of it out there. "I made a promise to you and myself that I wasn't letting you go again and I mean it with everything I am. From now on, where you are, I am. I want you to come home with me. I want us to make a home together. A life together. I know you will want to have a wedding and we can do it however you want. As big as you want it or as little. I don't care Lacey. Honestly I was going to just have us get married as soon as you woke up but Four and Henley stopped me. So when we get back to Dauntless you can plan whatever kind of wedding you want. I just ask you don't make us wait too long. I will be patient but not that….."

Lacey stops Eric after she starts shaking her head and puts a hand to the side of his face. He looks at her with his forehead scrunched up in worry. Tears are falling from her eyes.

"Eric…" she gasps "I can't….I don't want…."

She doesn't want him? Doesn't want that?

Those are the first thoughts that run through his mind and his heart goes to his stomach, making him feel ill while he also starts to feel anger building.

"You don't want to marry me?" He whispers out in a pained rush.

Lacey stops and gasps before she glares at him with tears still in her eyes. "No you big lug, I _do_ want to marry you. But what I don't want is some big wedding celebration. What I don't want it is to wait. What I don't want is to set foot out of this hospital being anything Mrs. Eric Coulter."

Time stops for Eric and he can only stare at Lacey before his eyes narrow and he scowls. Without another word he gently moves her until she is back on the bed and he is moving away from her. Stalking to where his makeshift desk is.

He vaguely hears Lacey calling him back and asking what is wrong but he is on a mission.

"Last goddamn time I listen to that asshole or anyone else. She'll want a wedding, they said. Girls love big weddings, they said." Eric rants as he grabs his phone and tablet and starts working on them. "Did Four even have a wedding with Tris? No, the fuckers had Max marry them. So how would they know! Even Henley got married by Max!"

He hears Lacey's giggle at this but he is pacing as he lifts the phone to his ear and waits for Four to answer.

As soon as Tris answers, not Four, he realizes the time as a groggy and panicked voice answers asking if something happened.

"Yeah, your numbskull husband happened and thinking he knows my girl better than me. So as punishment you guys have two hours to arrange for him, you and the others to get here. I am marrying my girl before we go to sleep." Eric barks out his command and then ends the call.

He repeats this call to Deacon then makes a few less heated or gruff calls to a few others.

After the calls are made and he is confident they are all doing his bidding, he turns back to Lacey who is smiling at him as she lays back against the pillows.

"So we can't sleep until we get married? Any ideas what we can do in the meantime?" She says in a hushed coy whisper.

Desire blooms in Eric and he growls as he stalks his way over to her. He scoops her up again and settles them while he takes in steadying breaths. "Don't think that my refusal means I don't want to...fuck...do I want to. You just woke up baby and are still healing."

Lacey sighs as she runs her hand over his chest. "I know." Her pout is evident in her voice and it has him closing his eyes with a chuckle.

He wants to. Oh god, how he would love to pull her in his arms and lose himself in her. But it isn't the time and he won't risk hurting her. So he distracts them both by talking. He talks about when she was asleep and how he had imagined things like the proposal and what Henley and Four had said.

She felt touched he wanted to make her happy but said they had waited for so long already. She didn't want to wait another second. She wanted everything with him.

Which brought another subject of fantasy to him. One that had haunted him and teased him from the time they were together. The subject of having a family.

"That night, do you know what I told myself as far as why I was doing it?" Lacey asked in a quiet and serious tone.

"No. Why?" Eric probed but wasn't sure he was going to like the answer.

"Because it felt like I was in a holding pattern. Stuck. I tried to move forward but anytime I did, I was pulled back by wondering. I thought that if I answered some of those secret questions, I could move on. Because I wanted a family and I couldn't have that unless I was willing to let go to do so."

Eric pulled her closer and closed his eyes. "Before that night it would have killed me to see it but after….I didn't have to see it but knowing there was the possibility was eating away at me."

He admitted what he had felt from the moment she walked out of the door. From the second the words left her mouth that she was going to try to move on. He felt like he was dying inside. He tells Lacey this and she sighs heavily.

"Me too and that was part of what happened with me. I should have never let it get to the level it did but it felt like without you, there was no point, so I guess I just started to give up. It was stupid of me and I am sorry it hurt you and everyone else."

He kisses her first, to comfort her but to reassure himself. Then he pulls back and holds her eyes. "It isn't stupid because I felt the same. But there was also some hope left in me, I think, because I didn't let it take over me like it wanted to. Also seeing you hurting, I couldn't let it. But Lacey.." he takes her chin and holds it firmly "you will never do something like that again to me. I don't plan to give you a reason to but if there is something wrong or you are upset; you tell me. Do you understand?" He demands of her firmly but softly.

Lacey smiles at him with tears in her eyes and nods. "Yes Eric." She gets out then grins when he blinks then groans a little and narrows his eyes at her.

He takes a breath and smiles. "Good girl." He finally replied and kissed her deeply.

Throats clear behind them, interrupting them. Making Lacey blush and Eric give a half hearted glare. He was secretly glad for the interruption. His control was being tested majorly.

A grinning Four and Deacon enter the room. Tris and Henley soon follow. It takes a little bit for the only other people Eric thought to inform to make it in. Wade and his brothers; Andrew, Nate and Evan along with his sister Angela.

He didn't bother getting out of the bed and had no plans to. Lacey didn't feel the need to try and change or make a big fuss.

So there in the hospital bed of the Med Center at Erudite the two were married by Four as second in command. The ceremony was short and sweet. Made even shorter when Eric cut out a few parts and went straight for the "only important" part.

Lacey was his now officially and he was hers. There were other claims to make but that would be later in private.

They were together though and that is all they could ask for.

A grinning Deacon slapped his friend and now official brother on the shoulder and laughed. "About time brother. You two took your time about it."

They had. But as Lacey lay on his arms after everyone left, she had put it the best.

She was nine when they met, thirteen when she knew she was in love with him but it took years for her to be ready. Eric was the same. They both had to grow up and grow into the people they are to be ready.

So there were bumps and heartaches. But there was so much more and it was deeper because of it all. One thing was clear for them both, from now on they were going to take that time. Every second of time they have together they are going to take and treasure, live to the fullest together.

What more in life could they ask for?


End file.
